Avenging Angels Prequel
by Avenging Angels
Summary: This is a prequel to my story, Avenging Angels. In this, we learn what Max goes through in the Schools prior to her escape.  Spoilers for Avenging Angels
1. Questions and Reflections

_I'm back! The request has been filed, and the ideas have begun to flow. I sake you guys to vote, and it was unanimous, so here it is. This is the prequel to my story, Avenging Angels. If you haven't read it yet, I suggest you do. It's long, but with over 900 reviews, I'd say it should be fairly worth your time. :)_

_As always, I will continue shout-outs for my reviewers. So, here is the first set! _

_Shoutouts to: Like, Laurenk, Angie Jeanne, ella, iluvbooks, MaximumX, o0Smile0o, Yo, AnikaandAj, and Jahnia G!_

_Avenging Angels Prequel_

_Chapter 1 Questions_

My hands were balled into fists and I struggled to keep calm. My breathing was heavy, I felt as if I might suffocate; the air was so thick and unmoving. It was dark, and the only lights shown from outside the window.

The window.

I leaned against it as I struggled for calm, but I'd been stuck in the same place for hours.

"Max?" I blinked and turned to see Fang looking at me. His face was blank as ever but in his eyes I saw something flash. Worry? Pain? Doubt? Probably safe to assume all three and more.

"Yeah?" I asked, keeping my voice low. We were in a car, or, a van to be more exact, with the rest of the Flock. The CSM was more than willing to help their 'stars' out when in a bind. After all, they felt awful. Letting my mom get kidnapped right out from under their noses. So they were doing everything they could to assure we were provided with what we needed.

And when I made it perfectly clear (with glares and hard stares) that I would not be away from my mother for any reason what so ever, they made sure that they provided us a way to get home together. And, though I hated the idea of being stuck in a small van, I was willing to swallow my fears if it meant protecting my mom.

So that was it. After my mom was released from the hospital we got on plane bound for Arizona and after that a claustrophobic car ride of which I was still struggling to survive. I wasn't all too thrilled for my mom to be heading back to her house. Surely Mr. Chu (my eyes narrowed and hands clenched at the mere thought of his name) would know where she lived? But the CSM assured us they'd thought about that and had the place scoped out and searched several times.

Apparently, it hadn't been disturbed in our absence.

I heard a cough, and looked up to realize Fang was still watching me. My cheeks turned red and for once I was glad of the darkness that surrounded us. It was night, we'd been driving for about an hour, and had about another hour to go.

As it was, the Flock had passed out around us. I sat on the left side next to the window in the back, with Angel sitting on my other side and Fang beside her. In the second row in front of us, Iggy had claimed the seat directly in front of me with Gazzy taking up the middle seat and Nudge sitting by the other window. Total lay curled up in Angel's lap, his nose twitching as he mumbled in his sleep.

Up front, two of my mom's co-workers (and fellow CSM'rs) sat, but I couldn't for the life of me remember their names. Behind us, in a car being driven by John Abbot, was my mom and Ella. I still wasn't happy, not having them right beside me, but this was the only way I could also stay with my Flock. Which meant I was torn, and in more ways than one.

"Max it will be okay." Fang said, watching me as I glanced over my shoulder to make sure my mom's car was still following us. It was, and I turned back to look at Fang with narrowed eyes. He ignored the look, however, but frowned slightly.

I had a feeling I knew what he was frowning about.

After that kiss on the submarine, things had been a little strained, between us. Not bad, not at all, no where near what it was when I invited Ari to join the Flock what felt like forever ago. There it had been so bad Fang had left me and the others. This was just…awkwardness?

I guess you could say I wasn't sure where this left us. I mean, yeah, I kissed Fang, but I did it because I thought I was going to die. Did that make my kissing him more emotional than rational? Was there such a thing as a 'rational' kiss? Had I been so caught up in the moment I just needed that release? Or had it been genuine, had I really needed to kiss Fang? Just to show him how I felt? What did I feel, exactly?

I looked at Fang out of the corners of my eyes, he was staring straight ahead, watching the road in the headlights. I sighed and leaned back against the seat as I tried to force my hands to unclench.

I loved Fang, that much I knew, but emotions were never one of my strong points. I'd always kept them hidden behind lock and key, it was probably one of the reasons I was still alive. But Fang had said he loved me, even shown me, as I'd felt his lips against mine. What was the problem then?

I closed my eyes but as I tried to picture the scene on the submarine again all I could see was Mr. Chu's under water fortress, the sea creatures he mutated, and my mother as she lay abandoned in that room, beaten, bloody, unconscious.

Anger boiled up inside me and my teeth snapped together. Mr. Chu, that _idiot_. He'd kidnapped my mother, tortured her for information, even tried to use her against me to make me work for him. I was lucky, my mom, was lucky. If Angel hadn't convinced those creatures to help us I don't know how we would have managed to rescue her. The doctors said she would make a full physical recovery, but they warned mentally she may be unstable for a while. That she'd been under a lot of stress.

My hands clenched tighter as I pictured Mr. Chu torturing my mother, telling her lies, filling her head with nonsense. But then I see his submarine escaping and then he's there, in the hospital where they were treating my mother, and who is he talking to? None other than Brigid. That redheaded witch.

I didn't know why she was there, talking with him, but I was going to find out. And as for Mr. Chu, well, he was going to pay for what he'd done.

_So, this starts with the Flock when they return from the hospital. In the real books, Patterson kinda just let's this hang and skips straight to the Flock going to Africa, but since I changed all that with Avenging Angels, I needed to start here. _

_Let me know what you think!_

_Sincerely,_

_Avenging Angel_


	2. Mistrust

_Shoutouts: AnikaandAj and iluvbooks!_

_Chapter 2 Mistrust_

The rest of the ride went by in silence, with just the occasional snore from one of the Flock or the sound of the tires bouncing over gravel to distract me. Mostly I thought about what I would do once we got there. My mom would need to rest for at least a week and even then she'd be tired. My conversation with her doctor played again in my mind.

_(Flashback)_

_I stood with my back pressed against the wall, watching as the nurses undid the IVs and other machinery that they'd had hooked up to my mom. It was all I could do not to flee the room. But I held my ground and tried to keep a calm expression on my face. But from the look Ella was giving me I knew I wasn't being very successful. _

_I heard the sound of footsteps and tensed as a man in a white coat walked into the room. My first instinct was to round house kick him back through the door. But because we were in a hospital and not the School that probably would have just landed me in jail. _

_Still, I couldn't help the fact that my eyes narrowed as I followed his every move, from his foot steps to the bed where he greeted my mother to where he stepped back and began filling out the release form. I continued watching for several minutes before the man turned to look at me, obviously feeling my eyes on him. _

_He smiled, but when I didn't return it looked away quickly. This brought a grin to my face. _

_After going over a few medications he'd prescribed and telling my mother what to expect over the next few weeks (which was mostly a few headaches and weakness) the doctor shook her hand and began to walk out. But as he came to the door he paused and looked back at me. "You're her daughters, right?" he asked, addressing both Ella and me. _

_We nodded, and then man's lips pursed together making his small white beard twitch. "Can I have a word with you?" he asked, and this time addressed just me. I glanced back at my mother, who was chatting with a nurse, and then at Ella who shrugged. _

_I nodded and followed the doctor out into the hall. _

_After closing the door he led me a few feet away before stopping and facing me. For a few moments he said nothing, just looked at me, and then he said, "Your mother, you understand she's been through a traumatic experience, right?" _

_I stared at the doctor. My entire _life_, had been a 'traumatic' experience. But then I thought about what all my mother had done in her life. Being kidnapped, by far, was probably the most extreme thing that could have ever happened to her, besides finding out she did indeed have a daughter with wings that is._

_I nodded, and said, "Yes" for good measure. The doctor continued to look at me then glanced down at his clipboard. "I've prescribed her some medications, being a lady of science-," I winced at the word, "she already knew most of the side effects and what they were for. But I thought that you should know that they may make her tired. It will be up to _you_," he lingered on the word, waiting to see if I'd interject, perhaps expecting me to shake my head and mention a father figure that could step up in this time of crisis, yeah, right. When I didn't say anything he continued quickly. _

_"Well it will be up to you and your sister to make sure she gets what she needs."_

_"Done," I said, already knowing this. "Is that all?" I waited and when the doctor hesitated I felt my muscles tighten._

_"I didn't want to mention this in front of your sister, you're the eldest I'm guessing, but you should know, an experience like this, well, it leaves marks." the doctor waited, but when I didn't say anything he sighed and put his hand on my shoulder. I flinched, but he kept it there as he looked at me with sad eyes and said, "She's going to need help, not just physically, but mentally. I can't tell you what they did to her, but whatever it was, she's very distraught. She's going to need you there with her."_

My mom needs me, but I need to make sure she can't be hurt again. These two thoughts battled with each other over and over but by the time I felt the car begin to slow down I still hadn't decided which is more important.

Around me I felt the Flock begin to stir and turned to see Angel looking up at me, her large, blue eyes blinking with tiredness. "Max?"

"Hey sweetie," I said, gently pushing her hair away from her face as she yawned. She smiled, and in that sleepy face it was easy to see the old Angel, the non scary one with only mind reading, and not the long list of powers she now had.

"Are we home?" Gazzy asked, peering out the windows but it was still black out. _Home_, I mulled the word over in my head for a moment. Home, was the E-shaped house, this, this was not my home. _But maybe it can be?_

I glanced at Fang and saw he was watching my face. I forced it to be calm and turned to Gazzy. "Yep."

"Sweet," Gazzy said and turned to wake Nudge who immediately began complaining about a crick in her neck.

"OMG! It hurts! Ugh I feel like I've been sitting here forever. Oh, and Iggy you snore, really, _really_ loud. Maybe we should get you some of those nose strips, you know, the one they advertise on TV. Oh! I saw this really cool thing on TV at the hospital, it was a curling iron and straightener in one! Do you know how much time that would save? I could curl or straighten my hair all at once! I could-," I was half a second from it, but Iggy beat me to it as he slapped his hand over Nudge's mouth and cried, "Nudge! My ears are bleeding!"

Nudge's face turned from surprised to embarrassed to indignant within a second. She mumbled something against Iggy's hand then went silent. Iggy pulled his hand away then turned back to grin at me.

"Okay kids, everybody out!" Steven (that was the driver's name I remembered) called, turning off the engine. There was a mad rush, as suddenly everyone realized they didn't have to be cooped up anymore, and the doors were basically smashed open as the Flock bolted. In seconds we stood out in the night air, our chests heaving, but after sucking in a few lungfuls of fresh air we began helping unpack.

We didn't have much, mostly it was Nudge's clothes she'd gotten after one of the CSM ladies took pity on her and took her shopping. Her mistake. If I hadn't intervened Nudge would have bankrupted her.

Once the last bag was unpacked we helped my mom and Ella with their bags. John Abbot, who had been driving them, gingerly offered his hand and my mom took it with a small smile as she got stiffly from the car. I watched from a distance as he shut the door for her and she wrapped her arms around him for support.

Everyone besides my mom and John loaded up with the luggage and once it was all in someones' hands we made for the door. "It's so nice to be home," Ella said, taking a deep breath as she walked beside me. I glanced at her, and felt a ghost of a smile pulling at my lips. This, was truly her home, but I wondered if I'd ever feel the same.

Fang was first up the steps, carrying a large black suit case on his shoulder, but as he took a step towards the door I saw him freeze. Instantly my body tensed but the others didn't seem to notice. Steven, who was behind Fang, looked at him expectingly as he waited on the top step, but when Fang didn't move he opened his mouth to ask why, only I beat him to it.

In less than a second I'd dropped the duffel bag I'd been carrying and flitted up the stairs, placing my hand over Steven's mouth to silence him as I moved to stand beside Fang. Steven threw me a surprised look but luckily didn't speak. By now the others had realized something was wrong and stood frozen. I could feel their eyes on me as I turned to Fang, my eyes asking what my mouth dared not.

Fang glanced at me, then nodded to the door. I followed his gaze, and instantly my def-con level went up. The door was open.

It wasn't wide, about an inch, but it was definitely open. Which meant someone, or something, had been inside…, and my still have been.

I nodded, and pointed this out to the Flock who had silently taken up positions behind us, forming a small circle around the humans. I turned back to the door and felt Fang's eyes looking at me; glancing back up at his face I saw that he was nodding at the door. I jerked my head, and he set down his suit case before moving down the porch and peering into the window there.

I waited, but he shook his head. My eyes narrowed and I lifted three fingers and clenched them, our signal to spread out. Fang didn't bother to acknowledge what I'd said and I didn't wait to see if he understood, I knew he would just like he knew what I was about to do.

As Fang disappeared over the porch rail and headed for the back of the house I turned back to the others and caught Angel's bright eyes. _Angel, tell the Flock and the others to wait here. Don't make a sound. If you hear fighting, don't come in, it could be a distraction. I need you to protect my mom, Ella and the others. Okay?_

I waited, and Angel nodded seriously, her lips pressed as her face looked up at me nervously.

Assured that they wouldn't follow me, if they valued their lives because I would kill them for not listening to me, I moved forward and gently pressed on the door. It slid forward but creaked slightly, as if it hadn't been opened in a long time. Well, we'd been gone a while, and apparently whoever or whatever had come in hadn't greased down the hinges. I halfway wished they had.

As I entered the house I blinked to adjust my eyes to the lack of light. It was darker here, with no moon to light the way. Luckily I knew the house well enough to avoid tripping over say a table or couch. I searched the living room first, since it was what the door opened up to, but there was nothing. In the dim light I couldn't tell if anything had been disturbed but that didn't mean no one had been there or was still there for that matter.

I stopped to listen but didn't hear anything so I moved from the kitchen down the short hallway to the stairs; but, just as I was taking my first step onto them, I heard a soft cough from behind me.

I froze, and turned slowly expecting to see some experiment with long claws and fangs breathing down my neck. But I only saw darkness. I frowned, the sound had definitely come from behind me. I turned more fully and took a step forward.

There!

I stiffened and adrenaline seeped into my veins as the sound of rustling made my ears twitch. It was coming from the kitchen, and as I crept toward it I could hear the sound of soft breathing and feet as they moved back and forth.

I came to the doorway where the hallway opened up to the kitchen and listened harder; but despite my efforts I could hear only the one set of breathing. Did Mr. Chu really only send one person here to attack us? Did he think they'd be enough to take on the entire Flock? Well we'd see about that.

The lights were still off, and as the shuffling continued I knew I had the element of surprise. I tried my best to pinpoint exactly where the sound was coming from and then braced my self.

And a one, and a two, and a three!

I leapt into the kitchen, my feet swinging up at the shadow that stood near the left counter. Immediately my foot connected with something soft and there was a cry of pain as the intruder crumpled to the ground. I was on him in a second, my fist raised to deliver the knock out blow, when suddenly the lights flickered on.

Surprised, I froze, my fist raised, and turned to see Fang standing in the doorway, his eyes widened ever so slightly. Confused, I looked down and then leapt up in surprise. There, sprawled on the kitchen floor where I'd dropped him, his nose bleeding and eyes wide in fear, was Jeb.

_And the plot thickens…. Review please!_

_Sincerely,_

_Avenging Angels_


	3. Information Overload

_Wow! Thanks for the many reviews guys! Shoutouts: iluvbooks, o0Smile0o, carly, Angie Jeanne, lillypad22, and AnikaandAj!_

_Chapter 3 Information Overload_

It'd been so long since I'd seen Jeb that the anger didn't set in immediately. It wasn't until a few seconds after Jeb had pulled himself up off the floor that I remembered who it was I was looking at and why my fists were still balled despite the fact that he was no threat to me.

Still, the scowl that lined my lips wasn't my fault, but by the way Jeb was staring at me, you'd have thought I'd just told him he was the most despicable person in the world. Which, though he wasn't, he was a contender on my list of people who'd made my life a living hell.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my hands on my hips as I looked down at him. I was proud my voice sounded commanding, in control, because at the moment I was almost more confused than angry, almost. "What do you think you're doing Maximum, attacking me like that?" Jeb asked, and his voice sounded muffled, probably because of the bloody nose, which was long over due.

"You surprised me." I said with a shrug. Jeb's eyes widened and he said, "Me, surprise you? You're the one who leapt on me."

"Well you shouldn't have been in my mom's kitchen in the dark. Speaking of which, what are you doing here Jeb?" I returned to the question he so slyly avoided. Jeb's eyes narrowed and he turned pulling a paper towel from the rack before dabbing at his nose which had already stopped gushing blood.

"I'm waiting." I said, when he still didn't speak. Jeb continued to look at me then glanced at Fang who merely stared at him with that blank mask. Finally Jeb sighed.

"Listen, Max, I-," but though I wanted to hear what Jeb had to say I couldn't let him do it, treat me like the old Max, the one he could just say my name when he spoke and I'd cling to every word. I wasn't that little girl anymore. "Don't 'Max' me, Jeb. Spit it out."

Jeb glared at me then shook his head; his eyes still looked disapproving.

"This would be best with the entire Flock present. I think it's safe to say I'm no threat to them." Jeb said, lifting his hands, the one of which still held the bloody paper towel, bright scarlet on white.

I stared at it, then at him, before turning to Fang. He shrugged, and I glared at Jeb before saying, "Fine."

With a pointed look at Fang I left the kitchen and headed back down the hall to the front door, flicking on lights as I went. When I reached the door, the Flock and others stood anxiously, but eased up slightly as they saw I was unharmed.

"It's Jeb, he says he wants to talk to the Flock." I said, my tone suggesting my disgust. The Flock tensed all over again, Jeb was a tricky subject, but then they headed through the door without a word, leaving the humans to look after them in confusion.

"Um, should we…." Steven trailed off, glancing at the other CSM workers. They were standing with confused expressions on their faces, unsure whether they were to be invited into the house. I frowned, what Jeb had to say was probably best left to just the Flock, my mom and maybe Ella and John. Personally, I would have preferred the CSM keep to themselves and let us handle our own business.

John seemed to sense this, luckily, and stepped up. "I think we can take it from here. Valencia needs her rest after all. Thank you so much for the ride. Drive home safe." The CSM volunteers looked at him in surprise, then my mom (who was basically dead on her feet, leaning on John for support) and then to me. When no one said anything to object, they turned and left, throwing looks over their shoulders the entire way.

I waited, and when I heard the cars disappear down the drive I turned to John and murmured, "Thanks."

"Of course," he said, smiling softly. He looked down at my mother and I saw his eyes soften as he pulled her closer. "Let's go inside."

I held open the door as John led my mother inside, but entering the house seemed to have given her a bit of life back because her head lifted and she looked around. I followed her gaze to see that the Flock stood stiffly together behind the tan couch, while Jeb stood by the TV, a pack of ice now pressed against his right shoulder where I'd kicked him.

I smiled inwardly but kept my face business like as I moved to stand beside Iggy. I guessed Angel had sent him a mental picture of what was going on because he was glaring at where Jeb stood, his eyes just a bit off, but the intention clear.

Nudge stood on his other side, her arms drawn up over her chest as she shuffled her feet uncomfortably. Next to her was Gazzy, who had one arm extended around Angel, as if to protect her. Angel, on the other hand, was staring at Jeb in confusion and I wondered if she could read his mind.

In answer, Angel looked at me and shook her head. Well, that was unusual.

Adrenaline still coated my veins but I forced myself to act calm as I led my mom to the couch where Total ran up and curled up protectively in her lap. I threw him a small smile and he wagged his tail.

After she was settled I turned to Jeb. "So, what's so important you made me drag the rest of the Flock in here to hear you? H'm?"

Jeb's eyes narrowed and his lips pulled down at the tone in my voice. I couldn't help it though, and honestly didn't care what Jeb thought, he'd given up the right to act parentally towards me when he let the School take us and torture us again.

"Well, I guess I should start with where I've been the past few months."

"Not off vacationing again while I try to save the world were you?" I asked sarcastically, again the frown and I noticed that Jeb's hair was a little grayer. I couldn't help but smile thinking I'd caused some of it.

"Maximum, try to be a little mature." Jeb growled. I waved my hand. "My apologies, please, continue." _Ah, there go the wrinkles too_, _I was wondering when those frowns would begin to stick._

"As you know, there's a new threat in the form of a man named Mr. Chu, a Chinese business man who, with his vast amounts of money, has extreme influence. At first I thought his attention was on you just because of the publicity you generated with the air shows. That kind of crowd is always good for business. But after he kidnapped you I realized his intentions must go much deeper than that. And I was proven right, when I learned he'd taken Valencia."

Every head turned to look down at my mom and I saw her face blanch. Immediately I turned a glare on Jeb but he was lost in thought.

"I have contacts, ones I can't mention for their own protection, but from them I learned that despite his great wealth this wasn't enough for Mr. Chu. The pollution of the ocean? Kidnaping Valencia? That was just a ploy. Mr. Chu has much greater plans."

"Like what?" Gazzy asked, his blue eyes wide.

Jeb glanced at him then at me. "Mr. Chu is creating an army. At first, he believed the robots would be enough. But once you repeatedly destroyed them he realized he was wrong. That's when he began taking an interest in the biological world. He-."

"He's interested in mutants." I said, my arms falling to my sides as the realization hit me.

Jeb pressed his lips together and nodded. "That's why he took your mother, to black mail you into working for him. But now that that's failed he's had to rethink his strategy."

I remembered Mr. Chu showing up at the hospital, his conversation with Brigid, and my eyes narrowed. Still I shook the image away as my mom broke in. "What are you saying, Jeb?"

"I'm saying that Mr. Chu is very angry that he has failed. He's a successful business man for a reason, he's used to getting his way, bullying others to get to the top. But Max and the Flock have bested him here. He can't afford to look weak. So he's decided to abandon his idea of using the Flock and moved on to a bigger plan."

"Which is…?" Iggy asked, trailing on the 'is'.

Though Iggy couldn't see it Jeb turned to him as he answered. "Mr. Chu has decided to create an army, using both his latest version of robots and a mutant army, to take over the world's most successful private businesses."

"But if that works, then what?" Nudge asked, for once keeping things short.

Jeb turned to her and I actually saw worry in his eyes.

"If Mr. Chu were to gain control of even a few of the world's most powerful companies he would then have enough power and influence to take over the world; and with an army of robots and mutants to back him, he would be unstoppable."

_Enter the plot that got the sequel going!_

_Sincerely,_

_Avenging Angels_


	4. Pyrotechnics

_Shoutouts: carly, AnikaandAj, o0Smile0o, Angie Jeanne, Iluvbooks!_

_Chapter 4 Pyrotechnics_

"Max? Hey Max." I started, and turned to see Iggy looking at me. Well, he was looking to my right just a bit, but for a blind guy it was close enough. "Yeah?"

"I'm gonna take Gazzy up to the spare room so he can sleep. That okay?"

My eyes widened and I saw that everyone besides Iggy, Fang and Jeb were all asleep. At seeing Gazzy leaning on Nudge and Angel on him all three bunched up on the couch next to my mom, Total and John Abbot I instantly felt bad. I'd been so lost in thought after what Jeb had said I hadn't even realized how late it was.

"I'll help you." I said, and as I moved to pick up Angel Fang appeared and moved Nudge into his arms. She mumbled in her sleep, but didn't wake; and after I made sure Angel was secure in my arms I followed Iggy up the stairs.

My mom's office had been converted to a place for the guys to stay, while the girls shared Ella's room. I watched as Iggy nudged the door open and then quietly whispered, "Don't bother coming back down, we all need our rest." Iggy looked ready to protest, but yawned. I smirked and he nodded goodnight before disappearing inside and closing the door.

I turned away and headed for the next door which Fang had already opened. As I went inside I saw Ella laying across the bed (she'd gone up earlier to unpack but never returned) asleep next to Nudge who Fang had just set down. I moved across the room on silent feet and he stepped back as I lay Angel down in-between them. She mumbled and rolled over but otherwise didn't wake.

I smiled at their sleepy faces and felt Fang's eyes on me. He was watching, his eyes nearly blending with the darkness, and then he jerked his head outside. I followed him, casting one last glance over my shoulder at the girls, before heading out into the hallway where I closed the door.

"So," Fang said. I waited, but when he didn't say anything else I crossed my arms over my chest. "So….?"

"What do you think about what Jeb said?" he clarified, his voice low enough so that only I could hear.

I frowned in the half light. "I'm not sure." I admitted.

"It makes sense." Fang pointed out.

"Yes but this is Jeb we're talking about."

Fang didn't respond.

I sighed and put my face in my hands before pushing back my hair. "It does make sense, I can see Mr. Chu-," my voice hardened, "doing exactly what Jeb said. What better way to take over the world than with an army of mutants and robots? And the part about taking over the private businesses-."

"He's right."

"I know, I just hate to admit it."

Fang half smiled and wrapped his arms around me. I draped my arms across his shoulders and pressed my head to his chest. The steady thump, thump of his heart calmed me.

"What's the plan?" Fang asked, his voice muffled as he spoke against my hair. I closed my eyes and for a moment was content to stay there, safe in his embrace. Then I pulled back and looked up at him saying, "There's always a plan." Fang smirked, and gently pressed his lips to my forehead. My eyes widened but I didn't pull away. Fang chuckled as my cheeks turned a light pink. "If you say so, boss."

I rolled my eyes and punched his arm. Fang stepped back and looked at me in mock hurt. "Baby," I hissed but I was smiling and so was he.

It was almost noon by the time the Flock gathered in the living room again after a late breakfast. Jeb was still there (he'd fallen asleep in the lounge chair while John had taken the couch) and looked up as I entered. I glanced at him, trying to keep the natural anger at the sight of him from my face as I sat down beside Angel on the couch.

I could tell Jeb was waiting for me to say whether I believed him or not, but it was just too much fun to mess with him. So instead I turned to the TV and pretended to be interested in the cartoon that was playing. It had some sponge and starfish that kept doing stupid stuff but Nudge, Gazzy and Angel seemed to enjoy it.

John appeared then, wiping his hands on a dish towel, and smiled at seeing the TV. "My niece loves Spongebob," he said, shaking his head. He slung the towel over his shoulder and leaned against the wall as he watched. I thought it funny that an adult found a kids show amusing.

I felt the couch sink and looked up to see that Fang had sat down beside me. I smiled, and he returned his signature half smile before reaching out and taking my hand. I looked down at our intertwined fingers then back up. Jeb was staring at our hands and I thought I saw his forehead twitch. I gripped Fang's hand harder and leaned against him.

"Max I-," Jeb started but when I glared at him he snapped his mouth shut and settled for staring pointedly at our hands. I smirked and looked towards the kitchen as Gazzy and Iggy walked in, deep in conversation. "I'm telling you that won't work." Iggy was saying, his blue eyes narrowed. Gazzy was shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "No, you're wrong, it will."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Guys!" I shouted and they both gave starts as if they hadn't realized the rest of us were there.

I frowned at them and then at the wires they both clutched. Immediately they stuffed them into their pockets and looked anywhere but at me. "Iggy, Gazzy, what are you doing?" I asked, lingering on both their names as my eyes narrowed.

Gazzy instantly looked bashful but Iggy took up a defensive stance. "It's nothing, Max."

"Oh really? So those wires poking out of your pants must mean you're an M-Geek who's replaced the real Iggy." Iggy's lips pressed together as Ella, Nudge and Angel laughed. Even Total let out a bark from his spot in her lap.

"Come on Max, we're just trying to be helpful. What if we need to get out of bad spot?" Gazzy begged, turning Bambi eyes on me. I winced, I hated when they did that, but I could feel myself softening, and it would be good to have a back up plan ready if anything were to happen.

Gazzy and Iggy waited as I mulled over their argument then slapped high fives as I sighed. "This doesn't mean you can start detonating them though! Especially not around my mom's house!" I called after them as they disappeared through the kitchen door and out into the the back yard.

Angel, Nudge and Ella were still laughing even after they were gone. I smiled, seeing their happy faces, but then reality set back in as I caught Jeb's eye.

How many more times did the Flock have to laugh?

_Im whooped, so that's all I've got tonight! Review!_

_Sincerely,_

_Avenging Angel_


	5. Unexpected Visit

_Shoutouts: lillypad22, AnikaandAj, Angie Jeanne, o0Smile0o, iluvbooks!_

_Chapter 5 Unexpected Visit_

I was upstairs with Ella when I heard the sound of the car. At first I didn't move, CSM people had been coming and delivering food and 'checking up on us' for the past week at least once a day. I'd been offered many hands to shake, all of which I just stared at until the owner dropped it and rubbed the back of their necks in embarrassment. As a result they were quickly learning that though I would stand there and exchange a few words I wasn't much of a social butterfly; luckily, Nudge and Angel were more than willing to take up large amounts of their time.

So as I heard the car door slam shut I only halfway paid attention. That was until I heard the door open and a small gasp. I stiffened, and listened harder as a few words were exchanged. I was just getting up off the bed where I'd been pretending to look at one of Ella's magazines when I heard Nudge calling my name.

I got up, and moved quickly to the hallway where I descended the stairs. But as I reached the bottom I froze and my eyes widened before they narrowed in anger.

There, standing in the doorway, was Brigid.

Adrenaline pumped into my veins and it was everything I could do not to leap at her and slam my fist into her smug face. And that's exactly the look she was giving me, smug, hidden just beneath the fake smile on her face.

"Max!" she cried happily, her voice dripping excitement. She wasn't fooling me.

"Hello," I said, making my voice neutral. Brigid moved past Nudge who was watching her with wide eyes and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. Again I resisted the urge to rip her head off.

As Brigid pulled away she smirked and said, "It's been too long."

"Uh-huh," I said, stepping around her so that I stood next to Nudge who was looking back and forth between us. "Max did I hear someone-…oh!" my mother cried from the top of the stairs, her voice full of surprise as her eyes fell on Brigid.

"Hello Doctor Martinez," Brigid said, smiling broadly. She hugged my mom as she came down the stairs. My mom hugged her back, but I could tell she was confused. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice surprised. Brigid took a step back and smiled. "Well I heard about what happened and I just had to check on you. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," my mom said, her eyes flickering from my enraged face to Brigid's.

She forced a smile

"Well that's fantastic! You know when I heard you'd been kidnapped I just couldn't believe it. I'm pleased to see you're up and about though."

"Yes, well, the doctors gave me some medication to take. I feel fine now."

"That's great."

There was an awkward silence in which we all looked at each other. "Would you like some coffee?" my mom finally asked, breaking the silence. Brigid opened her mouth to speak but I interrupted her with a hard look. "No, mom, I'm sure Brigid has somewhere to be. Right?"

If Brigid was surprised by my tone she made no show of it. Instead to my own surprise she said, "Yes, I do have to go actually. But I wanted to come by and check on my favorite people. I'm glad to see you're doing well Valencia."

"Thank you." my mom said as Brigid hugged her again and slid past me to the door which Nudge had opened.

But as she crossed the threshold she paused and looked back at me. "Oh, and Max, will you give Fang my best?" she smiled, and then shut the door behind her.

I stared at the door, fury encasing every part of me, and it wasn't until I felt my mom's hand on my shoulder that I looked away. "Max, your hands are shaking." I blinked, and looked down at my hands which were clenched and trembling.

"I just…need some air." I said and twisted around before disappearing back down the hall, through the kitchen where the rest of the Flock sat, staring as I stomped past, and then out the back door before spreading my wings and launching myself into the air.

I took off, my wings carrying me straight up into the sky at over 300 mph. I only evened out when it got too hard to breathe but by then I was so high I couldn't even make out the world below me, everything was just a blur.

I felt like screaming. Who was she to show up like that uninvited? And then she had the nerve to say that last bit about Fang. "Argh!" I cried in anger as I flew across the sky.

I don't know how far I flew before I realized it was getting late. I stopped, hovering in midair, and looked around before shaking my head and cursing myself inwardly. Not only had I left the Flock, but my mother and Ella without even bothering to explain where I was going. Not that I'd known, I just knew I was somewhere over Colorado now.

Colorado. I let my wing beats slow and descended from the sky. As I came out of the cloud bank my eyes widened and stayed that way until my feet touched down on the familiar ground.

I was at the E-shaped house.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The E-shaped house. I hadn't been back since we left to rescue Angel over a year ago. So much had happened in that small span of time.

I found my feet carrying me forward and I circled the house, taking in the familiar shape with the peeling white paint and sagging porch. I paused at the edge of the ridge that the deck stood over and looked down into its depths. It was covered in trees and a small river bubbled way down.

Memories of learning to fly filled my mind. Jeb had taught me how to fly right here. Basically, it was fly, or fall down to the bottom and die. I was the first to do it, and the first to succeed. Then Fang, and then Nudge. Iggy took a while longer, because he'd been blind, and Gazzy and Angel were forced to wait until their wings were fully developed. But over time every single one of us were forced over the edge.

Turning away from the ridge I followed the side of the house back around to the front door. It was closed, just as I'd left it, but as I entered I remembered that I hadn't been the last one here. Trash was everywhere, food, clothes, miscellaneous items. Chairs were turned upside down and there was a hole in the roof. I guess Iggy and Gazzy had had to make a quick escape when the Erasers came for them.

I made my way to the kitchen and smiled as I remembered many early mornings spent right here, sitting on a stool by the bar with the Flock around me as Iggy cooked and joked about how the blind kid had to do all the work because the leader was a lousy cook.

I could hear Iggy saying the exact thing even now.

The memories continued to flow even as I made my way down the hall and past the doors that led to our rooms. I paused outside mine, then shook my head and headed back. As I passed Angel's though I went inside and picked up a dirty white bear that still smelled a bit like the strawberries it'd been named after.

Exiting Angel's room I paused. Across the hall, not but a few steps away, was Jeb's room. The door was in the worst condition, as a result of me taking out my frustration on it over the years since he'd disappeared. After he'd left I'd never set foot inside it again, afraid that seeing all his things would upset me and therefore the Flock.

But now, as I stood there alone with no Flock to watch my reaction, I lifted a hand and gently turned the door knob.

It was rusty, and cracked under my grip as I pushed the door open. The room was dark, the curtains had been drawn and the smell of damp air rushed into my lungs making me want to gag. But underneath the damp I could smell paper and cologne. Jeb's cologne, the same stuff he wore today.

I moved inside, letting my fingers trail over the file cabinets and the old leather rolling chair. Jeb's room resembled more an office than a place to sleep. When he wasn't teaching us how to fight or stay alive he'd stay in here. Usually, I wasn't allowed in, and there was a lock that he kept secured so that when he had to leave we couldn't enter.

I moved to the window and pushed the curtains back sneezing as dust floated past my nose. Light poured into the room, illuminating the old computer and his desk where I'd watched him work for hours. Memories of Jeb sitting in his chair, looking down at me over his glasses, his face shaven, hair free of gray, blue eyes full of wisdom flashed before my eyes…and then I saw me, a freak, a orphan, wanting so desperately for the man who sat looking down at me to love me and be my father.

Smash!

A metal cabinet crashed into the desk splintering it in half as I stood there, my body shaking in anger and frustration. Then I straightened, my eyes widening as I realized what I'd done.

Gingerly, I picked my way forward and looked down at the huge crack, then froze. There, lying in the rubble on the floor, was a photograph. Bending down I picked it up and rubbed my sleeve over it.

I gaped, it was a picture of me and Jeb.

It was old, very, very old, and probably one of a kind. I looked about ten, fresh out of the School, and there was Jeb, kneeling beside me, his arms wrapped around me as I smiled at the camera, my wings sticking out just above my shoulders.

I blinked, surprised by how happy I looked. I hadn't smiled like that in a long time. Maybe even since Jeb left.

How did go from that little girl, so happy to be with Jeb, to who I was now and hardly able to stand being in the same room as him. I sighed, I knew how, but that wasn't important. What was important was who Jeb had been to me then, and, knowing what I did, who I had been to him and still was.

I took a bit longer going home than I had coming, and by the time I arrived, it was dark. As I landed, the Flock rushed out of the house and wrapped their arms around me before firing questions left and right about where I'd been.

I just shook my head and wordlessly handed Angel her bear. Her eyes widened, and she clutched it close, breathing in its strawberry scent before giving me a tight hug and running inside. Curious, Nudge and Gazzy ran after her, leaving me outside with Fang and Iggy.

Both boys were glaring at me (well, Fang's eye brows were tilted just a bit, which meant he was really, really mad) but I didn't know what to say. So I just said, "Hey."

"Hey." they both echoed, and then it was silent as they waited for me to explain.

"Look," I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "I'm sorry I ran off like that. It's just-," but Iggy threw his hands down and yelled, "Sorry? You hear that? She's sorry she ran off. Oh, it's no big deal, Max just takes off, doesn't tell us where she's going or why she's leaving in the first place, and thinks sorry is enough. Really, Max, really?"

Iggy glared at me and I was surprised at his outburst. Since when was Iggy so angry?

I took up a defensive stance and put my hands on my hips. "I needed some time to myself, are you saying I can't get that?"

"You could have told us where you were going. Instead of making us think you were kidnapped or dead! Don't you know every time you go off on your own something bad happens to us or you? Last time you disappeared you were shot and kidnapped! You only managed to make it back because Mr. Chu let you go. Do you think he'd let you go now?"

Iggy let out an angry huff and turned before stomping back to the house and disappearing inside. I watched him go, my mouth hanging open, then turned to Fang. "Well, what do you have to say?"

"Iggy's right."

"Of course he is."

"You know he is."

"I do not."

"Max."

I sighed and Fang moved forward so that he was close enough to put his hand out on my shoulder. He squeezed it, then looked down at me, his dark eyes sparking. "Max, seriously, what do you think would happen to the Flock if you died?"

I opened my mouth to retort, then shut it. Fang was right. "I'm sorry," I said, and saw Fang's eyes widen a fraction. I didn't apologize (sincerely) often, in fact I could count on one hang how many times I had, so Fang understood I meant it when I said it.

Fang bent down and gently pressed his lips to mine. It was a short kiss, but I knew it meant he forgave me. Though when he leaned back I saw a smirk on his face. "What?" I asked.

"I think Iggy deserves an apology too. But I hope you don't give it to him like you just did me. I might have to break his jaw."

_That's all for tonight! _

_Sincerely,_

_Avenging Angel_


	6. Never Enough

_Shoutouts: Readingisdabest, AnikaandAj, Yo, o0Smile0o, Angie Jeanne, iggsplosives, lillypad22!_

_Chapter 6 Never Enough_

Needless to say Iggy wasn't one to hold a grudge, especially not after I threw in a few little knick knacks. What can I say? Bribery wasn't against my moral code.

So after getting back on Iggy's side there was still the rest of the Flock to deal with. After seeing the bear I'd given Angel they all figured out where I'd been, and they were dying to know what I'd seen. "Is it still there? Did the School not destroy it? Can we go visit it? Are my clothes all there? My make-up? My Hello Kitty!"

Okay, so Nudge did most of the questioning, but Gazzy managed to get a few words in there every now and then, mostly about his Transformers or bomb supplies he'd had hidden.

"Guys!" I finally shouted, breaking into the middle of one of Nudge's longer questions. She and Gazzy looked at me in surprise and I rubbed my hands across my face. "Look, I'm sorry I ran off like that but I just needed to blow off some steam."

"Nudge told us it was Brigid at the door." Angel said from her spot on the floor where she was busy brushing through the fur of her bear.

I frowned at her but nodded. "I might have overreacted," I admitted. Iggy laughed, "Some over reaction." I turned to glare at him but snapped back around as Total murmured in a sly voice, "Maximum 'Charging Off' Ride."

"I do not 'charge off'!"

"Yes you do!" the Flock chorused. Now I was the surprised one.

"Whatever, what matters is that I'm back now."

"Max," I looked down at Gazzy who was staring up at me with large blue eyes. "Have you thought anymore about what Jeb said? You know, about Mr. Chu taking over the world?"

"Um…, of course!" I said, and it wasn't a lie. The entire fly back all I'd done was think about this new threat to the world. But what was there to do about it? I had no idea where Mr. Chu was or when or how he planned to begin his over throw of the world.

How could I make a plan out of nothing?

"The first thing we need to do is find out where Mr. Chu is." I said decisively, trying to grab a plan out of thin air. I was surprisingly good at that.

"Okay…so how do we do that?" Iggy asked, looking up at me from the other side of the couch.

"Um…well-."

"I can help with that." a voice said, and I stiffened unwillingly as I turned to look towards the kitchen. There, Jeb stood leaning against the doorway, his face impassive, eyes looking over his rimmed glasses at me with an unreadable look.

I swallowed, my natural instinct was to throw some snide comment in Jeb's face, but at the moment I was fresh out of ideas and even fresher out of options. Besides, Jeb had been the one to give us the information about Mr. Chu's plan to begin with; and even though I didn't fully trust Jeb, he was still more trust worthy than most other people I'd met.

Jeb waited, obviously thinking the same thing as me, but when I sighed and nodded his way he pushed off from the wall and came towards us. "Mr. Chu, as you know, is a very well connected man. He has money, power and influence, however there is one flaw to having all this."

"You become a sadistic back stabbing murderous bastard?" I said. The Flock laughed as Jeb frowned and sent a glare my way.

"Yes, I mean no. The answer is that all of these things leave a trail." he waited, but when no one said anything he said, "Don't you see? A paper trail. Mr. Chu's investments can be tracked, especially those here, in the United States."

"Which means what exactly?" Iggy asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Jeb opened his mouth to speak but Angel stood up and said, "I get it! Guys," she turned to us, her blue eyes wide. "If you were going to create an army of mutants and robots, you'd need a quiet place to do it. Somewhere no body would watch you. You'd need a big warehouse or a building of some kind. That way you could perform your experiments in peace without interference from outsiders!"

Okay…anybody else worried that Angel was able to think like a sadistic megalomaniac?

"Exactly," Jeb said, and I noticed he looked a bit unnerved by Angel's thoughts as well. Still he continued. "All you need to do is find his bank records and track his purchases. You can find any properties he has purchased. Then it's just a matter of narrowing down the search to places that are secluded."

"Like the School," I muttered darkly, Jeb nodded but wouldn't meet my eyes.

"But how are we going to get that information?" Iggy asked. "Leave that to me." Nudge said, stretching her hands out in front of her and intertwining her fingers. "I'm a computer wiz, remember? Fang, where's your laptop?"

For once, I was glad our DNA was always changing, otherwise Nudge might not have gotten her crazy hacking skills. "Okay, so I just bypassed the main firewall, and now I just type this…" Nudge's fingers flew across the keyboard lighting fast and before I could blink file after file appeared then disappeared on the screen.

I took a step back, I didn't understand half of the stuff she was typing in. It all looked like jumbled codes to me. But apparently whatever she was doing was working because she kept nodding. Hopefully this would work.

"Max." I looked up, and saw Jeb motioning to me from the kitchen. I frowned, but got up and followed him into the kitchen and then out through the back door. I caught Fang's eye as I went out but shook my head.

Jeb walked across the yard but stopped just on the fringe of the woods. There he turned to face me but didn't speak, instead he looked at me, eyes searching, but I refused to twitch under his scrutinizing gaze. So we just stood there, staring at each other. But after about a minute Jeb was the one to finally look away.

"Max, I-." Jeb started but I raised my hand. "Look, Jeb, if you pulled me all the way out here to apologize, forget it. I don't want to hear it." Jeb looked surprised, but quickly hid it. He stuffed his hands into his kakis and scuffed his shoe into the dirt.

It was quiet. Then….

"I am sorry though, and please-," Jeb said, as I opened my mouth to interrupt him again. "Please, let me speak."

I frowned, but pressed my lips together. "Thank you. Now, Max, I know I'm not your favorite person in the world," Jeb looked at my face but I kept it neutral. He shook his head but continued, "but I _am_ your father. I want you to know that I only want what's best for you. No matter what you may think of me I would do anything to make sure you stayed safe. That's all I've ever wanted. Granted," and now he rubbed the back of his neck as if embarrassed. "Granted my actions may not have always matched my intentions, but everything I've ever done was for your own good."

"So letting me get tested on by evil scientists, that was for my own good?" I questioned coldly.

"In the long run, yes."

"And taking us away from the School and then leaving us to fend for ourselves? That was for our own good too?"

"Yes, I-."

"And letting Angel get taken so that we'd go after her and get kidnapped by the School again and nearly killed?"

"It was for the best at the time-."

"And letting Fang get ripped open on that beach by the Erasers?"

"That wasn't part-."

"And letting me kill my half-brother because you'd never told me who he was and letting him get Eraserfied?"

"I wasn't there-."

"And cloning me and making us fight one another to the death to see which was stronger?"

"Max 2 was-."

"And taking us again and killing the Erasers and almost killing us until your own son broke us free?"

"I-."

"And the Director in Germany? Letting me think she was my mother? Making me fight Omega? Letting Ari's date run out so that he died right there in my arms?"

"Don't bring your brother into thi-."

"And letting us freeze our butts off in Antarctica then almost getting sold and then ripped apart by a hurricane in Miami?"

"I didn't know-."

"Or how about letting my mother, my real mother, get kidnapped by Mr. Chu after I was nearly assassinated in New Mexico City and then shot for real?"

"Max if you'd just listen-."

"No! _You just listen!_ Everything bad that has ever happened to me, to my Flock, to my mom, to Ella, to Total, to John Abbot to your son and my brother Ari has been your FAULT! It's always _you_! It always comes back to _you_ and it always will! It's _your_ fault Jeb! IT'S. ALL. YOUR. FAULT!"

I twisted, my face full of rage, and headed back to the house. "Max please I just want to help!" Jeb shouted after me. But this only angered me more. I spun around, my eyes blazing, and shouted, "You'll never be able to help me! Nothing you do will _ever_ be enough to make up for what you've done to me!"

I didn't even register opening the door to the kitchen until I heard it slam shut behind me. I stood there in the middle of the kitchen, my chest heaving and blood pounding in my ears. I was so angry at Jeb, so mad that he thought he could just apologize and everything would be okay that I couldn't even think straight.

I would never, for as long as I lived, forgive Jeb, and there wasn't anything he could do or say to convince me he ever wanted anything good for me, or ever would.

"Max?" I looked up, and there stood Angel in the doorway, her blue eyes wide. I immediately threw my mind blocks up and took a steadying breath. I didn't want Angel taking the brunt of my anger at Jeb. She didn't deserve that.

"Yes?" I asked, forcing my voice to be calm. Angel looked at me, her eyes still wide, then said, "Nudge found it."

_Night guys and please don't forget to review!_

_Sincerely,_

_Avenging Angel_


	7. Plans and Goodbyes

_Shoutouts: iluvbooks, iggsplosives, MaximumX, AnikaandAJ, and Angie Jeanne!_

_Chapter 7 Plans and Goodbyes_

"You're kidding, right?" Iggy asked, his brow furrowed as he looked over Nudge's shoulder at the computer screen, even though he couldn't see it. Nudge was shaking her head though and for Iggy's benefit said, "No, that's what it says."

"I can't believe it." Gazzy whispered. He glanced at me and I forced a comforting smile at him as I patted his back. "It'll be okay."

"I just can't believe he'd do this." Nudge said.

"Why not?" Iggy snorted. "He's a crazy idiot bent on taking over the world. This is exactly the sort of thing he'd do."

"Still…."

"Still nothing!"

"Okay that's enough!" I broke in before they could start arguing. Nudge and Iggy both glared at me then turned back to the computer where Google Earth was pulled up.

"Are you sure there isn't a picture of this place on there?" I asked Nudge. She frowned though and said, "I've tried everything, but got nothing."

"Mr. Chu must have paid off the satellite companies. No surveillance for his locations. That way he can't be caught doing something illegal." Fang said and I nodded as I leaned back against him.

"I'd hoped we'd never go back there." I admitted. The Flock glanced at me, and I shrugged. "We don't have a choice now."

"You mean we're actually going?" Nudge asked, her fawn like eyes wide. I looked down at her young face then at the others. "Not without a plan."

"Do you have one?" Gazzy asked.

"I do."

We all turned to look at Fang. He shifted, not liking all the attention, but said, "We'll be going in out numbered. We're going to need the element of surprise. So what we need to do is go in when it's dark."

"But won't they have sensors or something?" Iggy countered.

Fang nodded but said, "Maybe, but we've still got a better chance at night."

"So what then? We get there, get inside. Then what?" Gazzy asked.

"We find the main power source and shut it down. Think about it, all of those M-Geeks have to run off of something. I'm betting there's a big room with panels that control them all. If we destroy that, we destroy the robots."

"What about the mutants?" Angel asked.

"They might not attack us. Maybe they're like us." Gazzy said hopefully.

"The robots are the main concern, they're the ones with the guns." Fang pointed out, his eye catching mine for a moment before focusing on the Flock once more.

"So we need to shut them down. After that, well, we can worry about that when we come to it."

Fang glanced at me and I nodded though I was surprised. I'd never heard Fang talk so much in my life. He was becoming quite the chatterbox.

"I think it's a good plan." I said, catching the others attention. They looked at me, and when I stuck out my fist they all stacked theirs on top. "It's time we took out Mr. Chu once and for all. We'll save the world from him and whoever else he's working with." _Brigid_, I thought in my head but didn't say this out loud though Fang glanced at me sidelong.

I shook my head though and said, "We leave tonight."

"You what!"

My eyes widened at the shrill voice and I turned to see my mom standing at the top of the stairs with John Abbott and Ella beside her.

Oh crap….

_(A few hours later)_

I sat with my hands pressed against my face, my fingers splayed so that I could peek through them; my mother and sister sat across from me, their faces scrunched up, tear tracks on their cheeks, and hands shaking as they sat in their laps.

I groaned inwardly. We'd been sitting like this for thirty minutes, that is after the initial reactions were out of the way. Which basically boiled down to my mom shouting how there had to be another way to take care of Mr. Chu that didn't involve me risking my life. She argued the CSM could get the word out about him and sway the public. That way the police would get involved. But after I disproved this theory she shoveled more and more at me with Ella backing her every step of the way. Yet I was able to find a fatal flaw with all her plans. Finally, in a last stitch effort, she threatened to ground me.

The fatal flaw in that one? I have wings.

After that, a tense silence had sprung up, with me sitting at my mom's desk in her rolling chair, and my mom and Ella occupying the inflatable bed.

I wasn't sure what to say anymore and apparently they weren't either. I'd made it clear, this was the only way. And they'd made it clear that there was no way this was the only way.

I sighed and rubbed my face, I wasn't good at this kind of stuff. I'd never had to deal with having a family outside of the Flock. My mom and Ella didn't understand that going off to risk my life was something I was used to, something I'd been doing for years, something I was made to do; but, to them, I was just a girl, their daughter and sister, who shouldn't have to handle something so serious and life threatening.

"Mom, Ella, I-." my mouth fumbled shut. What was I trying to say?

"Max," mom started, then, she too stopped. Ella remained silent, but I could tell she had a lot on her mind.

It was silent again, but I couldn't stand it for so long this time. I swallowed, squeezed my fingers into fists, and said, "Mom, Ella, I have to do this. For the Flock, for you, for the world. Mr. Chu must be stopped, and he must pay for what he did to you. I won't let him take over the world and destroy it, I can't. I have to save it, and I have to save you. I-."

I blinked, and stiffened as my mom and Ella's arms wrapped around me. I was still, then I softened and hugged them back. My mom's whisper was hoarse and sad as she told me that she understood, that it was me, who I was, and that no matter what, that I should never forget how much she loved me.

Ella whispered similar things, but added how I was the best big sister in the world and that she knew I'd make it back safe, otherwise she'd beat Fang up, or get Iggy to do it. I was surprised at this last bit, but didn't question it. When they pulled back, new tears had replaced the old, but they were smiling.

"I love you both." I said, and was surprised to realize my own voice sounded raspy. I swallowed hard, and mom smiled while Ella rolled her eyes.

I stood, and we hugged again, but this time, as they stepped back, I memorized their faces; for some reason, it felt important, and though I couldn't place the feeling I just knew, I needed to be able to see them in my mind just incase.

_Review!_

_Sincerely,_

_Avenging Angel_


	8. Doubt

_Shoutouts: AnikaandAj, iluvbooks, o0Smile0o, Angie Jeanne!_

_Chapter 8 Doubt_

The goodbyes the next morning were just as emotional if not more. My mom and Ella cried and cried. Total, who I had argued with for the better part of an hour about why he couldn't go with us, had finally gotten over his anger at me and was crying as well. John Abbott stood beside my mother and sister, offering a firm hand shake and then a hug which surprised me.

That just left Jeb.

Since our argument the night before we'd avoided all contact; but, as I stood in the yard with the Flock at my back, I couldn't help knowing I couldn't leave with things the way they were.

I motioned for my Flock to wait then walked over to Jeb who stood a ways off. He watched me approach, but his face remained blank, at least until I wrapped my arms around him. I could feel him stiffen, then soften, and then I was gone, my wings unfolding and lifting as I launched myself into the sky, with the Flock running to catch up.

It took three hours to reach the coordinates Nudge had gotten from the internet; a relatively short flight for us, but it felt so much longer because of the dangers that loomed ahead and the weight that lay on each of our wings.

"Hey, it's the Hawk cave!" Gazzy cried as the familiar canyon came into view. He headed down and I let him following him as he landed on the ledge and ran forward to make room for the rest of us. I looked around, the Hawk cave was just as I remembered it, but something was missing….

"The hawks, where'd they go?" Nudge asked, in one of her shorter sentences. I blinked, that was it, the hawks were gone.

"I guess they moved?" Gazzy said, but he sounded uncertain. He glanced at me then at Fang but neither of us had an answer. It was like they had just disappeared.

"We should rest here for now, move in at night." I said, shrugging off my pack and setting it down inside the cave. The others followed suit and soon we sat together, leaning against the stone walls. There was some conversation, but it seemed the reality of what we were about to do had finally taken hold making the Flock serious and somber.

If we were going to die (because I knew deep down that was a real possibility) I couldn't let our last hours go by like this.

"Do you remember, after Jeb left, that first time I tried to cook?" the Flock looked up at me in surprise, then Gazzy said, "You nearly burnt down the house." he grinned, and turned to Angel and Nudge who had begun to smile. A glance at Iggy told me he was remembering it too and a look at Fang showed a quirked eyebrow.

"Thank God _you_ have a knack for cooking," Nudge said, turning to Iggy who hearing her voice grinned. "Well I have to be good at something."

"What about bomb building?" Angel asked him. Iggy smirked and said, "Guess I'm just multi-talented."

"Oh, like the time you took my pants and blew them up?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

Iggy laughed, and glanced at Gazzy who said, "We didn't blow them up! We used them to make a really long fuse!"

"Which we used to blow up half the back yard." Iggy added, smirking as if he could sense the glare I was sending him, but I ended up smiling again when Nudge said, "Oh! How about the time we moved all the furniture around and didn't tell Iggy and he was falling over everything? That was so funny!"

"Oh sure, pick on the blind kid," Iggy said as everyone laughed, but he was laughing too.

"I remember when Angel got sick that one time and Max had to go get medicine. That was scary, you were gone for so long, we were afraid you'd been taken like Jeb." Iggy said, his eyes clouding a bit. Then he laughed and said, "We just about had a search party set up when you came flying down, all wet 'cause it'd started raining."

"I remember that, it was really cold!" I said, shivering at the thought.

I felt a pair of arms wrap around me and looked up into Fang's face; it was just inches from mine.

"I remember-," he started, "when we had that really bad storm. The house was shaking, the thunder nearly made us deaf, everyone was terrified, but we listened to you and slept in a big pile in the living room, only you didn't sleep. You stayed up all night holding Angel, Nudge and Gazzy while Iggy and I sat back to back on look out. I'll never forget that night, it was our first Flock moment."

Fang was still looking down at my face, and I could feel the others watching us. Gently, aware of their eyes, I pressed my lips to Fang's and then pulled away. Angel crawled over as did Nudge and settled beside me, Angel in my lap, Nudge leaning on my right shoulder.

Gazzy, who had been sitting by Iggy, seemed to deliberate for a moment, then crawled over and leaned against my other side. Fang and Iggy silently positioned themselves in front of us back to back.

It was just like the first time we became a Flock, I just hoped this wouldn't be the last.

_(12:00 A.M)_

I stood at the mouth of the Hawk cave, my arms crossed over my chest, as I stood looking out over the canyon. It was dark, I guessed it was around midnight by the position of the moon.

I'd been standing there for only a few minutes before I heard movement. I didn't have to turn to know who it was. "Max."

"Fang."

It was silent, then….

"Are you afraid?" I whispered, my voice so low that I wasn't sure he'd heard. I waited, and was sure he hadn't when he whispered back, "No." I looked at him, and Fang crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes on my face as he said, "I'm not afraid to die." he paused. "I'm just afraid of losing you, or one of the others."

I stared at his face, then, nodded. "Me too."

"Max," Fang started, then, stopped. I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say, that we didn't have to do this, that we could just turn around, fly home, forget about all this saving the world crap, forget about Mr. Chu and Brigid and Jeb and everything and just start over, like he suggested we do once, find our own little island and just hideout and watch the world play out how it would from the sidelines. That was what Fang wanted to say now; but I knew he wouldn't.

"We can't go back." I said, looking out over the canyon and seeing the stars that seemed to hover lazily in the sky. I focused on one that looked larger than the others. Jeb had told me once those were other planets.

Fang didn't say anything, but I knew he understood what I did. Too much had happened for us to go back. I couldn't forget, and neither could he or the rest of the Flock. We couldn't reverse the past, or hope to cover it up. There was no forgetting, the only way to move on was to take care of the past by taking out the future.

"This is the only way." I said, looking back at him. "Fang," he glanced at me, "I'm going to need you tomorrow."

"You'll always have me." Fang said, then smirked. "You can't get rid of me."

"Who said I'd want to?" I said, smiling softly. Fang wrapped his arms around me and I put mine around his neck.

We stayed like that I don't know how long, our arms around each other, locked in the warmth of the other, relishing the touch and knowing the love that existed between us. I hadn't been sure of my feelings up until this point, but now I knew.

"Fang, I lo-."

"Hey what's going on out here?" Iggy asked, coming up and interrupting me. I blushed, and was glad for the darkness and Iggy's blindness as Fang and I pulled away. What had I been about to say?

"Hey Iggy," I said, and Iggy's head turned towards me then towards Fang. "Oh, um, am I interrupting something?" Iggy asked, now looking only slightly embarrassed. He rubbed the back of his neck when neither of us said anything then said slowly, "Okay…well, I was thinking we should scout ahead. The younger kids are all asleep. They won't know we're gone. We can take a quick fly and see what we're gonna face. Well, you two can."

"Great idea." I said, and at a nod from Fang (who's eyes were narrowed at me) spread my wings and prepared to take off. "Iggy, you're in charge, I can't leave them without someone older to protect them." I added when he looked ready to argue. I could understand, it had been Iggy's idea, but he was blind after all, and he would be more help looking out for the others than looking out for something he didn't know was there.

After making sure he was set and Fang ready I bunched in my wings and leapt off the cliff. I let myself drop, gaining momentum, then spread out my wings and beat down hard so that I rose back over the lip of the canyon and out into the sky.

Fang flew to my right and together we headed out over the desert sand, our wings beating in near silence as we sliced through the cold desert air.

It didn't take long before I began noticing changes on the ground. Roads came into view, dusty trails through the sand, tire tracks, bits of metal here and there.

We flew down lower, but stayed well out of gun shot range. After a few more minutes of flying Fang flew closer to me and brushed his wings across mine. I glanced at him, and he pointed to something on the ground. I followed his line of sight and saw small slivers of light along the ground spread out over several miles.

I blinked, but as we grew closer my heart slammed against my chest and I pulled up short just as Fang did the same.

M-Geeks, thousands of them, ranged out across the desert floor, their shiny, metal outsides reflecting the light of the half moon that peeked out from behind the cloud cover. They were everywhere, and as I looked below me I realized that there were even a few there, spaced only a few feet apart.

I turned to Fang to warn him but he was already glaring down at them, his eyes hardened in anger.

I stiffened and waited for them to sound an alarm or fire at us, but when they didn't I was confused. I dared a whisper, and looking at Fang asked, "Do you think they're on?" Fang shrugged, and dropped lower. "Fang!" I whisper-shouted but he was gone.

With a sigh I dropped down with him and landed a few feet away. "Fang!" Fang didn't look at me, instead his attention stayed focused on the M-Geek he was approaching. I watched, adrenaline pumping, but even when Fang was standing directly in front of it the robot didn't come to life and try to kill him. It was like they weren't activated.

Fang turned back to me, and I shrugged. He walked over to another but it remained motionless as well. We didn't dare touch one though. We weren't stupid.

I motioned that we should get back into the air and Fang nodded before following me up and away. As we flew back to the cave I said, "That was weird."

"Very," Fang replied, but his mind seemed elsewhere. I watched his face, and said, "Do you think your plan will work?"

"Do you have a better one?" he asked, not snidely, but curiously. I shook my head and Fang frowned ever so slightly.

"Yeah, I think it will work. Don't you?" Now Fang was the one watching my face. I nodded, and bit my lip.

"Fang," Fang glanced at me and I guess he could see the pain on my face. He stopped flying and turned to me, his arms reaching to rest on my shoulders as we hovered there, our wings beating in rhythm.

"We will all make it out." Fang said, his voice gruff, forceful. He looked at me, and I could tell he really wanted to believe that.

I did too, but I couldn't.

"What if one of us dies, Fang? What then? What if we all die? Who will look after Ella, and my mom and John and Total? Who will look after the world and stop Mr. Chu? Too much is riding on this one event."

Fang just stared at me, his eyebrows knit, and lips slightly pursed. He wasn't sure to say, and neither was I.

Finally he sighed. "We'll make it out Max, we just have to."

_Review!_


	9. Th Triple Alliance plus One

_Shoutouts: AnikaandAj, iluvbooks, Angie Jeanne, carly!_

_Chapter 9 The Triple Alliance plus One_

"Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, it's time to go." I whispered, my voice soft as I gently shook their shoulders, willing them awake. Gazzy stirred first, then sat up and yawned. Iggy had a small fire going and at seeing the soft glow he stumbled over and sat down to eat.

"Max?" Angel asked, as Nudge let out a soft moan. "Five more minutes," she complained, trying to roll away. I gently took her shoulders in my hands and sat her upright. She rubbed her eyes then looked around. When her eyes met mine, they were wide awake.

I forced a smile, and looked at them both before jerking my head towards where Iggy and Gazzy now sat by the fire. "Iggy has some food cooking. I thought we would eat, then go, sound good?"

"Yep," Nudge said, yawning and sniffing at the smell of waffles roasting over the open flames. She smiled and got up going across the cave before sitting down beside Iggy.

I stood to follow but stopped when I realized Angel was still sitting there, watching me. "Angel?" I asked, looking down at the young blonde haired girl. She was staring at me, her eyes slightly narrowed, then she shook her head and took my hand as I pulled her up and led her towards the smell of food.

"Where's Fang?" Gazzy asked as we sat down beside them. I nodded towards the front of the cave and everyone turned. Fang stood there, his body silhouetted by the moon, as he lent against the cave entrance. "He's on watch." I explained and the Flock nodded.

We ate in silence, when I was done I traded spots with Fang so that he could eat while Iggy and the others helped pack up our gear. As I passed Fang his hand stretched out and just barely brushed mine, it was enough though.

Ten minutes later the Flock gathered at the front of the cave. I knew I should say something, get them pumped up, let them know we had this, that we were going to do great, save the world, all that stuff; but, anything I said would have seemed wrong. So instead I stuck out my fist, and watched as one by one the Flock repeated it until our fists were stacked.

"Let's go."

We flew high above the cloud bank until we came to the beginning of the M-Geeks. Then, once we'd spotted them, we began to fly lower. "Are they…dead?" Gazzy asked, his eyes wide as he looked down at the thousands of robots that dotted the desert floor.

I glanced back at him, then at Fang. "We checked them out earlier, I don't think they're active."

"Why would they be off though? Aren't they, like, protection or something?" Nudge asked, looking nervous. She glanced down at them then back up at me. I frowned, Nudge was right. "We don't have a choice." I said.

"What if it's a trap?" Angel whispered, but to this, I had no answer.

_(Brigid Pov.)_

There was a knock at the door, and Brigid looked up just as a young man in a white lab coat poked his head in. "Doctor Dwyer?" he asked, looking at a clip board. "Yes." she replied, somewhat annoyed. Being called doctor had once felt like a sort of upper class symbol to her, but, now that she was surrounded by doctors and highly trained physicists every day, the title seemed to have lost some of its influence.

"Director Janessan has called on you to attend an emergency meeting." the scientist said, his eyes roving around the room which was pitch black besides a window that was open to let in the light of the moon.

Brigid's eyes narrowed at the name, she had never liked Janessan and thought her an incompetent fool; still, she was the one who had given her her chance at power. She had best do what she asked, for now at least.

"Very well, when is this meeting?" she asked, twirling a diamond in her fingers. It had been her father's last gift to her mother before they had both disappeared in the plane crash.

"Um, now, Doctor." the man said, ducking his head as Brigid glared at him.

She stayed like that for a few moments then stood up abruptly and stuffed the diamond in her pocket. "Fine."

The scientist nodded then backed out into the hall before leading the way. Brigid followed, her heels making a sharp 'click' against the white tiled floors.

They continued on for several minutes before reaching a set of large oak doors with a broad shouldered guard standing outside. "This meeting is highly classified and top secret, I'm going to have to ask you to scan your retina and thumb prints, please." he added, as Brigid made a face. He crossed his arms though, which she knew were strong enough to crush her, and after a moment of hesitation she nodded and moved towards the scanner.

Placing her eye inches from the scanner next to the door she blinked as a bright light flashed, making her retina constrict. She backed away, and pressed her thumb against a scanner just below that. There was a pause, then a beep as the door unlocked. The guard stepped back as he pulled it open and waved her through.

Brigid entered the room with her head held high. She was new to this organization, but her work in the field had given her a sense of importance to the cause. The information she had was crucial to the success of the plan, and she knew as she looked about at the stony faces that greeted her arrival, they knew it as well.

"You are late." Janessan chided, her voice clipped as she addressed Brigid from her place at the right side of the table. Brigid glanced at her, then at the white haired man that sat across from her who said, "Yevs, you should ave' been ere' sooner."

"Yes, I should have made more of an effort, based on your age I am sure time is of the importance, Doctor Borchet." ter Borchet glared at her out of his hollow face but made no further comment than to sink down further in his chair and glare at her.

"Erhm, can we please get down to business?" Mr. Chu asked, addressing them all but focusing his sharp gaze on Brigid. Brigid nodded, though her eyes remained narrowed in anger, and sat down opposite of him.

"Thank you, now, our latest intelligence reports indicate that the Flock-," his voice hardened to one of disgust at the word, "are planning an assault here in the early hours of the morning. We know this thanks to the mic Doctor Dwyer was able to dispatch in the Martinez home where the Flock resides, so we thank you for your covertness and sacrifice. Now, a plan of action must be agreed upon, so I have called this meeting to hear the arguments each of you presents for what will happen to the Flock after their capture. Director Janessan why don't we start with your-."

"Capture! _Capture!_ I vill not ere' of dis! Dey must be _destroyed!_"

Brigid glanced at ter Borchet and shook her head. "No! That is not an option!" Janessan immediately argued, standing up. Mr. Chu motioned for her to sit and she did, though her face was red. "Easy, now, everyone's opinion will be heard. Doctor Borchet, since you seem to have an opinion readily available, why don't you begin?"

"Very well," he said, straightening and attempting to flatten the wild mane of white hair that stood in small strands about his face, as if he hadn't looked in the mirror in quite some time.

"The Avians vust be destroyed. Dey are not vorth the effort it vill take to train dem. Don't you see ow' dey vill resist you? Dey are monstrosities which vust be destroyed vonce and for all."

Borchet then slouched down in his chair and glared at them. Mr. Chu waited, but when he said nothing more he nodded and said, "Well, dully noted. Now, _former_ Director Janessan, have you any words on the subject?"

Brigid couldn't help but smirk at Mr. Chu's choice of words; and as Janessan gave a start and her face turned red Brigid's sense of satisfaction was unmatched.

Marian Janessan rose slowly, her hands still balled in anger, but managed to collect her features into a relatively calm mask. "Very well, as you know, I have worked with the Avian Recombient DNA project from the beginning. I was there when we, meaning Doctor Borchet and I, first began mixing bird DNA with human. Maximum Ride, and her Flock, were as you know the first success. Of course there are more, but they are well under control.

"With concerns to Maximum and her Flock, I believe capture, _alive_, is necessary. After that, separation, immediately. We then clone all but Maximum Ride and kill the clones in front of her. Her will power is derived from her family and the need she feels to protect them. If she believes they are dead, she will more easily break. Then we may use her DNA to create better, stronger experiments, and complete the By-Half Plan."

"That plan is still under discussion." Mr. Chu cut in. Janessan glowered at him but said nothing more as she sat down. Mr. Chu nodded, his beady eyes nearly disappearing in his face, and then he turned to Brigid. "Your thoughts?"

_You are all idiots and will fail_, she thought, but didn't dare say this aloud. Instead, she rose and placed her hands on the mahogany table.

"As you know, I have spent the last few years among the Flock. My observations are this: they are strong, they are united, and they are very, very close. Were one of them to be killed, say the blind one, Iggy, for example, the Flock would spiral into complete chaos. Yet I'm uncertain whether that would be desirable. We require the Avians to be functional, not dysfunctional, so perhaps killing them is not advisable, at least not so long as the Flock remains intact. I believe we should split them up, and create a series of clones, killing these clones in front of the individual Flock so that they believe their entire family is dead. This, as Janessan already pointed out, leaves them nothing to fight for, making them weak mentally, but sound physically."

Brigid nodded and sat down, crossing her legs under the table. The other three were staring at her, perhaps surprised she had her own plan so well figured out, but when a silence followed she rolled her eyes inwardly and turned to Mr. Chu. "And you, Sir?"

Mr. Chu gave a start, then cleared his throat. "I do not wish to see the Flock destroyed," he glanced at Borchet who looked to be glowering at the ceiling and mumbling to himself. "But I also do not like the idea of splitting the Flock up. Their image in the world has been established as a group. I need them to restore my own image so that I can more easily take over the necessary businesses to create the ultimate monopoly. Therefore I propose we brainwash them and turn them into a spokes Flock of sorts. What say you?"

"Dey vould rather die dan vork for you." Borchet spat, and Mr. Chu glared at him before shaking his head and looking at Janessan. "Doctor?"

"It would be be near impossible, unless they were threatened, and even then improbable."

"One of the Flock would be enough, Maximum Ride especially." Janessan and Mr. Chu glanced at Brigid and she continued.

"Capture the Flock, separate them, the new Facility being built in Florida would be large enough. House them there, keep them apart, create the clones and threaten to kill one of them should any of the Flock step out. Use Maximum Ride as the corner stone of your ascension to power. Tell her you will kill the Flock if she does not comply to your wishes, and if she refuses, bring out one of the clones, and kill it. The real Flock you can use for advertising as well."

"How did you know about the facility in Florida?" Janessan asked just as Mr. Chu murmured 'brilliant'. The two women glared at each other but snapped around when Mr. Chu tapped his ear piece and said, "I have just received word from control. The Flock is on the way."

_Next week starts my Spring Break!_

_Night guys, _

_Avenging Angel_


	10. Fate

_Sorry for the long wait guys but this chapter is really, really long. School and life just happened to catch up to me for the past few days but now I'm back and here is the next chapter._

_Shoutouts: AnikaandAj, Angie Jeanne, Unknown Writer O.o, carly, and iluvbooks!_

_Chapter 10 Fate_

_(Jeb Pov.)_

Jeb sat at the kitchen table, his fingers intertwined. He was alone, but the sound of soft voices in the next room made him tense. Valencia was still crying, and her daughter Ella was trying her best to console her but her own voice was shaky. John Abbot, who Jeb assumed was somehow connected with Valencia, was attempting to calm them both, explaining how Max and the others had saved his life once, and he had no doubt they were capable of succeeding.

Jeb shook his head and looked down at the coffee he'd made but never drank. What a fool.

Ring….ring.

Jeb started in surprise then quickly stood up and fished his phone from his pocket. He glanced at the screen, and his eyes widened in surprise at the name. He quickly opened the back door and went outside.

Jeb walked briskly to the woods and didn't stop until he could just barely see the porch light. Then, glancing at the phone once more which was still ringing, he flipped it open and lifted it to his ear.

The sound of panting breath met his ears.

"David?"

"Jeb? Oh thank God! I was afraid you wouldn't pick up. Listen! I've got something important to tell you."

"Are you okay?" Jeb asked, the harsh breathing was coupled by the sounds of things cracking and snapping, almost as if David where running.

David's voice was hurried as he spoke. "No time. Listen, there's another company."

"What do you mean?" Jeb asked, glancing over his shoulder then putting the cell phone up closer to his ear.

"I mean that! Jeb you've got to get the Flock out! Wherever they are let them know! It's BREAKING!"

Jeb blinked in confusion. "Am I breaking up?"

"No! Listen you have to run! Run now! They're near you! North! I don't know how we missed them! They're chasing me now. I-, oh God!"

There was a crashing sound followed by the sound of a gun going off. "David!" Jeb shouted into the phone but the line had already cut dead.

_(Brigid Pov.)_

Brigid sat with her right leg crossed over her left, and her eyes glued to the monitor that was set into the wall before her. On it, six bird kids were soaring across the early morning sky in a 'V' formation, but she found it hard to concentrate. Her mind was occupied by more important thoughts. Like how she would over throw the Triple Alliance and make her new company number one.

Brigid smirked, she rather like the name she'd given it too. BREAKING.

"Dey are ere'." Borchet said and Brigid's attention was pulled back to the screen as the Flock hovered outside the facility. Max pointed at a window.

Her mouth moved, and Iggy swept forward before crouching on the edge of the window seal. Brigid watched with narrowed eyes as his fingers set to work with the latch.

"Disarm security system now." Janessan said, looking down at the four whitecoats that sat at computer monitors below the screen. "Disarming security system…now." one of them said, and looked up. Brigid followed his gaze and saw Iggy continue to work the lock for a few moments before reaching down and sliding the window open.

There was no sound.

"Have the robots move into position now." Mr. Chu said, his eyes narrowed as he watched Iggy enter the room followed by Fang, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel and lastly Max.

"Robots in position." the second tech said.

The Flock were all in the room now, their eyes looking about as their hands clenched.

"Sound the alarm, and get them." Brigid ordered.

_(Max Pov.)_

For one second, for one, split second, I thought we would be okay. Then, an alarm sounded overhead and all hell broke loose.

Across the room, the door flew off it's hinges as twenty M-Geeks burst inside, their green eyes glinting in the half light as they rushed forward. "Find the main power source!" I shouted, praying the Flock would remember the plan.

I ran forward, and kicked the first two M-Geek's legs out from under them. For a moment I caught a glimpse of Iggy grabbing Angel and them running for the door, and then the rest of the robots were on us.

I struck out with my fist, and felt the cold metal of a robot's face slide across my knuckles. I winced, but the robot merely took a step back and then threw itself at me again.

I ducked a punch, but winced as a second robot's fist cracked against my shoulder.

I stumbled backwards, and found Nudge beside me, a bruise already forming under her eye where she'd been hit. I jerked my head, and she nodded, pressing her back against mine. Together we faced off against the M-Geeks that surrounded us. Across the room I could see Fang had teamed up with Gazzy. I hoped they were okay.

The M-Geeks must have thought I wasn't watching, because they attacked. I whirled, slamming my foot against the one closest to me, knocking it's head back and sideways. It's green eyes flashed, and then burned out as it slumped to the floor. One down.

The other M-Geeks attacked now, and I ducked and punched as best I could. I dropped to a spinning kick, knocking one robot to the ground, only to have another's foot sneak out and catch me in the back.

Whoosh! the air gushed out of my body and I hit the floor. Blearily I looked up and saw a metallic fist flying at my face. "Ah!" I rolled sideways and the fist crashed into the floor, splintering the tile into a million pieces.

I leapt up, but was tackled immediately as the M-Geeks ganged up on me. I went down under a flash of shiny metal and glowing green eyes. I fought back, and had the satisfaction of feeling several robot parts come loose in my hands.

Pop! I let out a cry of pain as my right arm was twisted backwards. I hunched over beneath the robots in pain, it was dislocated. I didn't even have time to brace myself as I fell to the floor, the robot's weight crushing me as I struggled to free myself.

Blows reined down, I felt like I was suffocating, and then, I heard an explosion and the eyes of the M-Geek that loomed over me blinked then faded.

I sucked in a breath as I felt the floor shake. Angel and Iggy must have set off the bomb.

I let out a sigh of relief, but winced as that jarred my arm. Adrenaline was pumping, I could hardly feel it anymore, but that didn't change the fact that I was now down to one arm, and not to mention stuck beneath these M-Geeks.

Where was the Flock?

I tried to listen for sounds of life but was buried so deep that I wasn't sure. A moan to my left? A cry to my right? I thought I could hear someone panting, and the sound of metal and wood being thrown apart. Were they looking for me?

"Hey!" I shouted, and managed to get my feet under me. I struggled upwards, and emerged from the pile of M-Geeks that had surrounded me. "Max!" I turned as Fang ran up and my eyes widened as I saw the blood trailing after him on the floor.

Fang didn't even seem to notice though. He leapt over two robots and then offered me his hand as he pulled me from the pile.

"Is everyone okay?" I shouted as I came upright. I looked around, Iggy and Angel were back and though they were covered by debris and a few scratches they looked fine. Gazzy was holding his arm, and I winced as I realized the way it was turned must mean it was broken, and he was covered in scrapes and bruises that were already forming. Beside him Nudge was bent double clutching her ribs and sucking in painful breaths, her poor ribs; and then there was Fang's leg.

Briefly I noted that I wasn't in the best condition either, but I ignored this and after getting mumbled 'okays' from the Flock said, "Okay, let's find Chu and get the heck out of here before those mutants show up."

I turned toward Angel, and saw her eyes widen. _Angel, can you hear his thoughts?_ I asked her, praying that she could and that we could maybe get out of here without more of a fight.

"Give me a sec." Angel said, then closed her eyes as she rubbed her temples.

In the next instant Angel's eyes flicked open and she twisted towards the door the M-Geeks had burst in through. A second later, there was the sound of harsh breathing and claws scraping across tile as mutants slid into the room. My eyes widened and I automatically reached out, grabbing Angel's arm and pulling her behind me as what looked like lizard and bear hybrids encircled us.

Behind me I felt rather than saw Fang do the same to Gazzy and Iggy to Nudge. We pressed close together in a small triangle, our fists raised, eyes narrowed, feet spaced and ready to fight.

And then, it happened. For a moment I could not believe my eyes. It couldn't be. I'd beaten them. They were gone, gone forever. There was no way this was possible, but it was.

There, standing in the doorway, outlined by the flashing of a red siren light, was Mr. Chu, the Director Marian Janessan, ter Borchet, and Brigid.

I felt the Flock tense and heard them let out small cries of surprise and knew what I was seeing wasn't just some crazed hallucination my mind had made up from one to many blows to the head. No, I wasn't that lucky, this was real.

If we hadn't been surrounded, and possibly about to die, I would have said I told you so. Brigid was right there, right smack in the middle of our greatest enemies. Who had great instincts? Moi.

Rage boiled up inside of me. Brigid must have somehow let Mr. Chu and the others know when we were coming. That visit to 'check up' on my mom had been no such thing. She'd come to spy on us, and I would have bet ten of my primary feathers that she'd planted some recording device in the house while she was there.

"So, what do we owe the pleasure, Maximum Ride?" Chu sneered, his eyes narrowed in pleasure as he looked me up and down. He laughed, and the Director sneered as ter Borchet grinned. Brigid smiled coldly.

Well, since we were already surrounded, I might as well make the best of the situation. Maybe, if I could keep them talking, I could figure a way out of this. It seemed like our only hope.

"Got my invitation this time, Chuey," I snarled, my voice dark. I felt Angel stiffen behind me but couldn't risk a look at her, by the way the mutants were snarling and foaming at the mouth, I could tell they were looking for any excuse to attack.

"You ignorant girl!" Mr. Chu spat. "You have sealed not only your own fate but the fate of your Flock as well by crossing me! You've cost me everything with your work on global warming and that scum at the CSM. What fools you all are to think you could stop what years upon years of science has done! You never had a chance!"

"There's always a chance!" I shouted back, making my voice as harsh and venomous as I could.

"Listen you _freak_," Janessan hissed, stepping forward so that she stood almost nose to nose with me. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. One good, direct punch, and she'd be out cold.

"It is over for you! There's nothing more!" she spat, her face inches from mine, her brown eyes tinged red. "You are going to die in this room and there's nothing you can do. We are going to kill you and your family. In fact," and her face twisted into a sardonic grin. "We'll kill your family first and make you watch."

The Flock tensed, I, tensed. I was so close, my body shaking, adrenaline pumping, but at that moment, as all my rage came boiling to the surface, a thought struck me.

My eyes widened.

I had it, a plan, but I needed a bit more time. The mutants were closing in, sensing the tension and smelling the blood that coated our skin. They were ready to kill.

I just prayed Iggy had brought it.

"Anybody who touches my family dies," I said, making my voice as calm as I could. Janessan's eyes widened and she laughed, stepping back, her body shaking in fits, as ter Borchet raised his hand. "I ave' no patience vit' dem. Kill dem all vnow."

There! From the corners of my eyes I saw it, the small remote control Iggy had 'borrowed' from my mom. This was our only chance.

"Not today Snickuhs bar!" I snarled, whipping out my wings as the mutants started towards us. They jerked, taken aback, and I seized the moment to whirl around and grab the remote hanging from Iggy's belt.

_I hope this works_, I thought and pressed the power button before throwing it at Chu, Janessan and Borchet who were watching in shock. Brigid, I realized as the remote sailed through the air, was backing towards the door.

BOOM!

My eyes widened and I let out a cry as I was thrown backwards. Crack! My body smacked against the back wall and I slid down it nearly falling out of the window before I managed to catch myself. I struggled to my feet, and saw the rest of the Flock pulling themselves up out of the dust, so much of it now floated in the air.

I glanced over my shoulder, the explosion had knocked a hole into the wall! We could get out!

"Come on!" I shouted, pointing at the gap so that the Flock would see. I wrapped my arm under Fang's and he gave me a small smile as we limped towards the window. But just before we reached it I heard a shout and turned.

There, struggling out from the cloud of dust, was Brigid. Her red hair was covered in brown and her face smeared in black. Her eyes, which had before held just loathing, were wild and mad, and as I watched her those eyes locked on me.

I saw that she was bleeding, her hands were clutching at a shard of wood that was protruding from her thigh. I winced, but my eyes widened as she straightened and reached behind her.

My breath caught in my throat, she had a gun.

It was small, and silver, but lethal looking in the half light. Without even thinking I tried to put myself out in front of the rest of the Flock and felt Fang move to stand beside me. I tilted my head and raised two fingers. I don't know if he saw.

Brigid's eyes were crazed as she looked down the barrel at us. I wasn't sure exactly who she was pointing it at, but as I heard Angel's gasp I wondered if she was hearing Brigid's thoughts, but when I tried to ask her, I got nothing.

And then it happened, Brigid's eyes shifted and I realized the gun had moved also, and was now pointed directly at Angel's face.

Time slowed down.

I saw Brigid's finger move towards the trigger, saw Angel's eyes close, felt my body leaping forward, heard the sound of the fun going off and then….

I heard Angel gasp, and looked down, my hands cupping the spot where blood now rosetted in my t-shirt. I was in shock, and a moan escaped my lips as the pain lanced through me. My stomach was on fire.

I heard Angel and the others let out cries, and saw Fang staring at me, his mouth open. But what I registered most was the impassive look on Brigid's face as she looked at me and raised the gun again.

I didn't even know I'd done it until I felt the bullet sink into my leg. I let out a cry, and stumbled as blood began to drip down my leg collecting with the blood I'd already lost. Gazzy stared up at me from where I'd shoved him to the ground, his face pale and mouth gaping.

I staggered, and as my head swung I saw Brigid level the gun again. I leapt forward, slamming into Nudge and Iggy just as the gun went off twice.

As Iggy and Nudge sprawled on the floor, staring wide-eyed up at me, their faces pale, I hunched over, the pain now making my entire body feel as if I were on fire. My blood sang, my body cried, my mind was foggy but clear, and as I twisted I saw Brigid staring at me in disbelief. This gave me strength, and I glared at her as I hunched there, choking on my own blood.

Brigid raised the gun, and either it was my vision blurring or her hand was shaking (or was that the building?) as she leveled it once more.

My breath caught and I could no longer draw breath. The gun was aimed at Fang.

I tried to shout to him, to warn him so he could move, but his eyes were glued to the ever growing pool of my blood that mixed pastily with the dust against the once white floor tiles.

Brigid chuckled madly, and I saw her finger move towards the trigger. I could do only one thing.

I dove at Fang, every last bit of my strength ebbed from my body as I launched at him. I felt Fang's arms close around me, felt my cheek brush his neck, his chin on my head, just as the last bullet sank into my back.

We fell to the floor, and I felt Fang's arms encircle me, but as we hit the ground I let out a cry and my body began to shake with fiery pain.

"Angel U and A!" I heard Gazzy shout, but I couldn't see. What was wrong with my eyes? All I could see was black. Why couldn't I lift my head? I felt my body moving, felt my arms hanging, my head lolling, my wings being crushed against my back.

Then I felt the air, we were flying, and now I could see though I still couldn't move. Below me was the desert, and for a moment I feared I was falling, until I noted the arms that held me close.

Fang, he was carrying me.

The sounds of small explosions met my ears and I glanced down. The M-Geeks were self-destructing, their bodies crumbling and over heating until they exploded and as I watched one robot's explosion set off a chain reaction as the others around it burst into flame.

"Land now!" a voice shouted, and blearily I recognized it as belonging to Iggy. What was wrong with my hearing? Why was my head throbbing, or was that my heart?

I felt Fang shift, and this slight movement was enough to send my mind to screaming in agony.

Fang's feet touched down, and he sank to his knees before laying me down on the cool desert sand. I winced, but the pain was beginning to ebb. What was happening to me?

Iggy crouched down beside me, and Nudge, Angel and Gazzy quickly fell to their knees by my broken body. Angel was by my head on my left, and I saw rather than felt her hand gently grab my own and squeeze it. Beside her, Gazzy had tears in his eyes and was crying softly. Opposite of him, Iggy was also crying and beside him Nudge was sobbing, her brown, fawn-like eyes wide and terrified.

I felt someone touching my hair. Fang looked down at me, and I was surprised to see he was crying too.

Angel squeezed my hand again and this time I tried to return it, but my grip was weak, and more tears flooded down her cheeks at my efforts. I closed my eyes, but as the Flock's sobs met my ears I opened them again. I glanced at all of them, and winced as the pain spiked for a moment before returning to the throb that was growing weaker every second.

"Are you all okay?" I croaked, and winced at the sound of my voice. Blood slid out of the corner of my mouth and down my chin. Fang wiped it away with shaking hands. His face was torn.

"Yeah Max, we're okay," Nudge said between gasps. More tears flowed down her cheeks. Angel nodded and I felt some of her tears dot my skin.

I closed my eyes and let out a heavy, pain riddled breath. "Good." I whispered, and felt my chest struggle to rise.

The Flock was falling apart. I could hear Gazzy and Angel sobbing, feel Iggy's fingers tremble as he held my belt loop, feel Nudge's hands shake as she clutched my own, and feel Fang's body shaking as he petted my hair.

This is it, I realized, as I opened my eyes again. I looked at the Flock, who were all lost in grieving. They knew it, every single one of them. They knew I was about to die. That was why the pain was ebbing. I was bleeding out right there in the sand.

I decided right then, right then and there, that if I was dying, I was going to make sure they knew how much I cared about them, and understood why I'd done what I had. I didn't know how long I had though, I just hoped it was long enough.

I took a deep breath, and the Flock's tear filled eyes looked down at my face. "I love each of you guys so much. There's never been a prouder leader, sister, mother, or girlfriend," I said, my eyes swiveling to Fang's face.

Then I turned to Angel.

"Angel, you're my little girl. I'll always love you even though you get on my nerves sometimes and can act totally un-angel like." I squeezed her hand as hard as I could, and gave a small cough which ended in my choking. More tears cascaded down Angel's face. "I love you too, Max. You're the best."

I turned to Gazzy who paled.

"Gazzy, you've always been my little trooper. You've always held your own even though you're only eight. You've always stood tall and strong. You're my little soldier, and I love you."

Gazzy's face clenched and he closed his eyes as he nodded. "Love you Max."

I looked at him a moment longer, then turned to Iggy who's filmy blue eyes were red. "Iggy, you may be younger than me, but you've always been like my older brother." I coughed, and felt the others stiffen beside me as my breathing hitched and I coughed again, wincing at the sound which was somewhere between choking and gurgling.

I was running out of time.

"I always wanted to give you your sight back, Iggy. I would have done anything. I'm sorry I didn't come through." Iggy let out a strangled cough, and distantly I felt him tug my belt loop.

"No worries, Max," he choked out between gasps. "I love you and don't worry about me. I'm fine…, just fine."

I looked at him a few seconds longer, then turned to Nudge who burst into a new fit of sobs. "Nudge, you've always been my little sister. You're my little sunshine. You always know what to say to make me smile. You've always known what to say to me when I didn't know myself." I coughed again, but this time turned my head as blood welled in my throat and slid from the corner of my mouth. Quickly I tried to wipe it away so that the Flock wouldn't see.

"I love you Nudge," I said, and I could feel my body going under. I was whispering now, and the Flock leaned in closer. I wondered if they could hear me over the sound of my panicking heart.

I looked up, and found the relief I'd been searching for since the first bullet hit me. It was there, in his face, in Fang's face. I loved him. I really, really did, but why did it take dying for me to realize it?

Tears cascaded down my cheeks as Fang leaned over me. His lips quivered, "Max…. Oh God no, please no."

"Shhh…," I whispered, and felt a smile trace my lips. Who would have guessed my dying would break the Emotionless Rock?

"Fang, you are the light in the dark. I wish I could get more sappy than that but I can't. That's just me. But I want you to know one thing before I go." At this the Flock went rigid, and what little I could feel left of my body tensed as their's did.

But that tenseness was enough to set my body into a series of spasms where I lost control. My breath came in shallow pants, my body locked up, and my eyes closed as I struggled to breath. Blood pooled in my throat, I was choking. Black spots spun before my eyes. Cold seemed to be pressing in on me from all sides. I was deaf to the world.

I forced my eyes open, and focused on the Flock. My body stopped struggling, only my mind was at work now. I licked my lips, and with the last bit of strength I had left I squeezed their hands and turned my eyes back up at Fang.

"I love you." I whispered, then descended into darkness.

_Now we can really get into the new material; however, I'm on Spring Break starting tomorrow when I drive me and my friend down to Florida for a week. So, I should be able to update but we'll have to see. Again sorry for the long wait guys, I hadn't forgotten about you, life just likes to get in the way. _

_Sincerely,_

_Avenging Angel_


	11. Sorrow

_Hey guys sorry this has taken so long to come to you but Spring Break 2012 hit and you know what that means! Beach time baby! _

_Shoutouts: MaximumX, iluvbooks, AnikaandAj, carly, Angie Jeanne!_

_Chapter 11 Sorrow_

_(Total Pov.)_

Total was sitting in the love seat when it happened. He'd been talking to Akila, showing her magazines with wedding pictures, when suddenly she raised her head and stiffened. Automatically he froze, and the sound of wing beats met his ears as he cocked his head.

He frowned, they sounded fast.

Total got up as Akila gave a short growl and ran towards the window. "What's going on?" Ella asked. She'd been sitting on the couch pretending to watch TV but was now standing at the window beside them. Total looked up at her but before he could say anything the sound of running footsteps met his ears and he turned towards the door just before it was slung open and the Flock ran inside.

Total didn't know what to think. They were bruised, bloody, and crying. Tears streaked down their dirty faces making tracks in the grit and their bodies were shaking. "What's going on?" Total asked, just as his eyes landed on the body laying limp in Fang's arms.

It was Max.

In the next instant, a horrible wail echoed through the house. Total couldn't force his eyes from Max's bloodied body to look, but he needn't see to know who was making that cry, it was Doctor Martinez.

She ran across the room, and looked down at her daughter who lay in Fang's arms. Her hands fluttered uselessly above her daughter's body, her brown eyes wide and face pale. Fang just looked down at Max, as the Flock stared at the ground in shock.

"What happened?" John asked, as he came in to the room. Then he saw Max's body and his face turned green. Immediately he ran to the phone but was stopped as a hand clamped down over his.

It was Jeb.

John's face turned red and he growled, "Let go."

"No," Jeb replied, his eyes locked on John's face. John looked back at him incredulously and then over his shoulder. "We have to call 911. Maybe she can be saved."

"You know they would have taken her to a hospital if she weren't already dead."

"That's your daughter you're talking about!"

"I know."

Jeb gave John one long, last look, then walked slowly over to where Doctor Martinez and the Flock were still staring at Max's body. "Valencia-," he started, and Max's mom jerked her head at him, her eyes full of tears. "We should have the body taken."

"Taken?" she murmured, her voice thick and confused.

Total frowned, there was urgency in Jeb's voice.

Jeb shifted his feet uneasily. "To have it prepared, for the funeral." At 'funeral' everyone in the room tensed. "But, what if she's still alive? Shouldn't we check? Take her to a hospital. Or to my office! John, start the car."

"Valencia." Jeb said her name several times as the doctor murmured about things she would need to bring. Finally she looked up at him and Jeb gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"She's gone."

_(Fang Pov.)_

Fang sat at the kitchen table, the now cold cup of coffee emitting pleasing aromas in front of him as he starred numbly into it's brown depth. What had he done?

The Flock sat around him, but Fang hardly noticed, he was so lost in thought. Max was gone. Max is gone. Max was never coming back.

Memories strove to replay in his mind, but Fang was too numb to let them. Instead he sat with his hands in his lap, his head bowed, and tears hanging from his lashes. Fang had only ever cried once before. It was the day after he'd met Max. One tear, one single, little tear, had fallen when he woke up that morning and saw she'd been moved into the crate next to him. She'd still been asleep, she didn't even see it. Up until then Fang had been proud he'd hidden it from her, but now he wished she'd known, that way she could have understood how much she meant to him.

_She'll never know now_, he thought.

Regret washed over him. How could he have let this happen. He'd been there, _right there!_ Fang was so mad at himself, but anyone watching him wouldn't have seen it. Fang was always quiet, but now he was deadly silent.

_(Iggy Pov.)_

The sound of the five bullets replayed again and again in his mind. Bang! Angel letting out a cry, Max moaning in pain. Bang! Gazzy whimpering, Max letting out a cry. Bang! Bang! He and Nudge letting out grunts as Max shoved them to the ground and cried out in agony. Bang! Fang and Max hitting the ground together, but not a sound uttered from either.

Iggy shivered and winced as he heard each shot again and again; and then Max's voice, weak, pained, struggling. Never before had he heard such a thing, especially not from Max; and now that was how he would hear her, forever.

_(Nudge Pov.)_

Nudge kept crossing and uncrossing her legs, fiddling with her bracelet, twirling her locks, plucking at the fine hairs on her arms. Her head hurt, her ears were ringing as if they still heard those awful gun shots. Her cheek burned from where she'd hit the floor after Max pushed her down to take that bullet. Oh why did she have to take that bullet?

Nudge could still see it. The wild look in Brigid's eyes as she turned the gun on her and Iggy. Nudge had been petrified. She hadn't even been able to open her mouth. Like so many other times it wouldn't have done her any good. Why did she talk so much anyway? It hadn't helped save Max in the end.

What was the point?

_(Gazzy Pov.)_

Gazzy stood by the back door, his arms crossed over his chest, picking at the scrape on his elbow. His hand had been reset and bandaged, but he kept trying to flex his fingers. The pain felt good, it distracted him from his thoughts. Like how he'd just stood there when the mutants came. He let Fang push him behind him, safe beside Nudge and Angel. He should have stood his ground and stared the mutants down, like Max, Fang and Iggy.

What then about Brigid? When that gun leveled with him, Gazzy froze. _Why didn't I do something, anything?_ Gazzy thought, wincing as his hand ached. He pressed it against the door.

_I'm a coward_, he thought, then punched the door.

_(Angel Pov.)_

"You re-broke it. I'll have to set it again." Doctor Martinez said, her voice still shaky as she looked over Gazzy's hand. Angel looked on from a few feet away, but even her spot next to the TV (which was turned up considerably) did nothing to mute the voices that were crying in everyone's heads.

_I should have helped her!_ Fang was yelling again.

_Bang! A bullet meant for me_, thought Iggy.

_I should have never opened my mouth_, Nudge.

_I deserve the pain, I'm a coward_, Gazzy.

_This is a tragedy_, Total.

_Blood, pain, loss, bad_, Akila.

_I only just met her, how can she be gone?_ Ella.

_This isn't happening, this isn't happening, I can't lose her, not my baby._ Doctor Martinez.

_This is a terrible loss_, John.

Angel's own thoughts? Lost in the sea of drowning voices.

_(Max Pov.)_

Why can't I hear them anymore? I was there, we were flying, we went to my mom's house, I heard the Flock crying, heard her and my sister and Total crying, then I heard John and Jeb talking. Then Jeb talking to my mom about taking me to get me ready for the funeral.

Why was I going to a funeral?

I was in a car, that much was certain, but I had no idea where I was going. The funeral part confused me. Who's funeral was I supposed to be going to; and why wasn't I getting ready at my mom's house, with the Flock?

I tried to think of who might have died, but my thoughts were short and spaced. Concentrating was hard, it was a struggle to even manage a coherent thought let alone rationalize with so little information.

One thing was certain, though. We were slowing down.

_(Jeb Pov.)_

Jeb choked back a sob, and pressed his foot to the brake as gently as he could. The car slowed down, and he wiped at his eyes which were full of tears. Glancing in the rear view mirror he choked back another string of sobs. For what he was about to do, he must be strong.

He would not lose his only daughter.

The light turned green, but as he moved to accelerate there was a flash and the sound of brakes squealing as headlights flashed over the front of the car, blinding him.

In the next instant he was surrounded on all sides. Jeb raised his hands to cover his eyes but looked at the window as a shadowy figure tapped on the glass. Slowly Jeb rolled down the window halfway. "Who are you?" he asked, fearing the worse.

The figure was silent, but when Jeb glanced down at the gas pedal it shook it's head. The meaning was clear, Jeb wasn't going anywhere.

"What do you want?" Jeb asked, and this time the figure said, "Unlock the door."

"Why? What do you want? Who are you?"

"Doctor Batchelder, if you do not open the door, we will force it open and take you hostage. Do I make myself clear?"

Jeb stared at the man for a moment, then nodded. "Good, unlock the door." Jeb pressed the button. Immediately his door was flung open and Jeb was drug out of the car before being thrown into the back of a van.

"Wait! My daughter!" Jeb cried but in the next instant an even larger man dressed in black hopped into the van, Max in his arms.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Jeb howled and reached for his daughter but was snatched back by two men also in black. Jeb glared at them but they shook their heads; and as the man holding Max sat down, he moved her so that she lay on what looked like a metal bed on the floor.

Jeb's eyes widened and his suspicions where confirmed when after a few minutes the van doors were opened and he was ushered out. He turned, watching as Max was rolled past him, and followed as she was rushed inside what looked like an abandoned warehouse.

Inside, the smell of antiseptic burned.

There were corridors set up, and as he walked by men and women in white lab coats looked on in surprise. Jeb was surprised too, he recognized a few of their faces.

Jeb's surprise was cut short however when he pushed through two sliding doors after Max and entered what looked like an operating room. Bright lights shown down from above and the white walls and floors shown blindingly. A metal table draped in a white cloth lay before him underneath the light and beside that table was a smaller one with several shiny silver instruments on it.

Next to the instruments, stood a man in a green plastic suit. At seeing Max, he immediately ordered she be hooked up to the heart monitors and placed on the table. At seeing Jeb, the man's eyes widened and he immediately strode over. "Doctor Batchelder," he said, sticking out his hand which was encased in a plastic glove.

Jeb numbly shook the man's hand, his eyes were still on Max. "Sir can I just say it is an honor to meet you? Because it truly is. I've read several of your papers on recumbent DNA. Fascinating, I must say. Truly remarkable how you could perceive so much from your time in the field. Tell me, was it tough_ roughing it _with the experiments?"

The scientist elbowed Jeb, he hardly noticed but did look down at the man. "Can you save her?"

"Well I'll give it my best try. No guarantees though, but let's take a look shall we?"

The man laughed, then walked over to Max where he began looking over the wounds. He frowned, then glanced at the monitors which were flat. "Well, by all appearances we are too late. Will you look at all these bullet holes? I've never had one this torn up brought to me before. Guess they normally just let them bleed out, don't give it the chance. This one they probably should have done the same."

"Please, isn't there something you can do?" Jeb begged, his eyes pleading.

The man glanced at him but shook his head. "No, I'm afraid it's heart has long since quit beating. Best to have it burned, we can arrange that, if it please you."

"She's not an _'it'_ she's a _she_ and she's my daughter and if you value your life you will save her!" Jeb threatened, his eyes blazing.

The doctor looked at him incredulously. "Listen, Doctor Batchelder, I would try but there really is no point. Her body has been damaged too much. I can tell here that the lungs are gone, and that she has lost too much blood. There really is no point. Even if we could resuscitate her what sort of life would that be and for how long? It, I mean she, is gone."

"No," Jeb whispered, his voice cracking. He sank to his knees.

"Listen, friend, if you'd like, we will arrange to have it's, I mean her, body removed. It will be quick, we have a crematoriam all set up."

"No, no I must have a body to show her family. They won't believe she is dead unless they see one."

"This one's so torn up though. Not really decent for public I say."

"I must."

"Why not take a clone?"

"What?"

The scientist frowned as Jeb stared at him.

"Well, doctor, as I'm sure, or I was sure, that you know, we have the capabilities to clone, and quite rapidly too."

"No I, I mean, of course, of course I am aware. I just did not know you were cloning my daughter." Jeb's mind was racing. He wasn't sure why he'd been let in here to begin with. Whoever was in charge of this place must have wanted him here though. Otherwise they would have taken Max's body and killed him already.

"Well yes, of course! In fact we have six clones all prepped and ready. They are spread out, of course, but we just so happen to have one here readily available. One quick serum, and she'll be out like a light. Would that suffice?"

Jeb winced inwardly, but kept his outward appearance indifferent. He hated to see another experiment, child, killed simply for his convenience, but he still believed there was a chance Max could be saved, and the only way he could continue to work on her was for her family to see her buried; and a clone would work.

When Jeb nodded, the Doctor bowed and said, "Excellent, I'll have clone 4 prepped immediately."

"Thank you." Jeb said, his voice low, numb. The Doctor frowned and glanced back down at Max's body. "I truly am sorry about her, but these things happen." and with that he patted Jeb's back and left the room.

Jeb listened to him go then moved to stand beside the table where his daughter lay limply. Her eyes were closed and her face relaxed, so much so that Jeb believed he had never seen her so peaceful looking, except when she used to fall asleep in his lap.

A tear skimmed down his cheek but Jeb couldn't find the will to push it away, he was too numb.

Gently Jeb picked up one of Max's hands and placed it on her chest, then the other. He looked around for something to place in her hands, some flowers, perhaps, but he saw nothing but the shiny instruments that hadn't even been touched.

Jeb's eyes narrowed


End file.
